Bone health and the masters runner

Abstract

Masters runners are often defined as those ages 35 years and older who train and compete in running events. These runners represent a growing population of the overall running community and experience running‐related injuries including bone stress injuries (BSIs). Similar to younger runners, health considerations in masters runners include the goal to optimize bone health with focus on mitigating age‐associated loss of bone strength and preventing BSIs through a combination of ensuring appropriate physical activity, optimizing nutrition, and correcting faulty biomechanics. Importantly, BSIs in masters runners may include characteristics of both overuse injury from insufficient recovery and failure of bone weakened by age‐related loss of bone (insufficiency fractures). This narrative review covers the limited available research on strategies to optimize bone health in masters runners. Applying knowledge on masters athletes and extrapolating from other populations, we propose strategies on treatment and prevention of BSIs. Finally, the review highlights gaps in knowledge that require further age‐specific discoveries to advance treatment and prevention.