We have all heard this, no pain, no gain, right? I for one avoid pain at all costs including avoiding the dentist! That being said, there may be more to this than I previously thought! I watch with amazement when athletes compete in high endurance activities such as marathon running, cross country running, tough mudders, etc. Then I sit back and change the channel on the television. Fun to watch, no interest in participating. 

That said, have I been causing harm to myself over the years by being a spectator and not a participant? Well, guess what? A recent study published in the European Heart Journal looked at lifelong endurance exercise and its relation to coronary atherosclerosis (a condition where the arteries become narrowed and hardened due to buildup of plaque (fats) in the artery wall). The study also looked at lifestyles to determine if a healthy lifestyle along with endurance exercise was a benefit. 

The findings were actually surprising to me! Lifelong endurance sport participation was not associated with a more favorable coronary plaque composition compared to a healthy lifestyle alone. In fact, lifelong endurance athletes had MORE coronary plaques than fit and healthy individuals with a similar low cardiovascular risk profile. Of course, every body is different and how our bodies manage stress, nutrition, exercise, etc. is different but interesting. Now I can go back to my remote with less guilt after all, isn’t that considered low impact exercise anyway? Stay well and stay informed!