Rowing and Osteoporosis
People have often asked us if rowing is a good form of exercise for the prevention of osteoporosis. Research exists that tells at least part of the story. A study was done at the Washington University School of Medicine and was published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research in 1997. The researchers compared two modes of exercise: ground-reaction force and joint-reaction force. Ground-reaction force (GRF) exercise included walking, jogging and stepping. Joint-reaction force (JRF) exercise included weight-lifting and rowing on the Concept2 Indoor Rower.
The researchers found that rowing and weight-lifting increased bone mineral density in 3 of 4 locations tested, and did so with lower strain rates than did the GRF exercises.
In addition, it was found that the rowing and weight-lifting group showed the greatest improvements in overall strength and lean body mass. The authors observed that these gains should decrease the risk of falling and help maintain functional independence and overall health despite advancing age.
What does this mean for rowers?
You may still want to keep some walking, running or stepping in your fitness program for variety and extra insurance, but you can feel good about the fact that rowing, in combination with strength training, not only increases bone density but has the added benefit of increasing overall fitness, strength and flexibility.
Resources
"Effects of Exercise Involving Predominantly Either Joint-Reaction or Ground-Reaction Forces on Bone Mineral Density in Older Women," Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Volume 12, Number 8, 1997. 
Printable PDF
