Research presented last week at the American College of Rheumatology suggests that regular running does not improve a person’s likelihood of developing osteoarthritis. In fact, it may prevent the condition.
In an effort to determine causes of osteoarthritis onset in people of all ages, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine analyzed data from 2,683 participants spanning four large age groups: 12-18, 19-34, 35-49 and 50 and older. Participants asked to list their three main activities during that stage of life. If they listed running, they were classified as a runner for that age range.
After grouping the participants into runner and non-runner groups, all individuals underwent knee x-rays and asymptomatic pain evaluations. X-rays were again taken two years after the initial imaging.
Knee Results
After looking at the data, researchers concluded:
- 22.8 percent of participants who had been a runner at some point in their life were diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee.
- 29.8 percent of those who had never been classified as a runner had developed knee osteoarthritis.
- The average age of study participants was 64.7 years old.
Researchers believe the findings show that running doesn’t lead to osteoarthritis in the knee.
“Non-elite running at any time in life does not appear detrimental, and may be protective” in regards to developing knee osteoarthritis, the researchers wrote.
Dr. Silverman comments
There have been numerous studies on both sides of this issue, with some saying running strains the knee and can lead to degeneration, while others suggest that regular runs can strengthen the knees. As long as you are using proper running form and are giving your body enough time to recover between runs (i.e. avoiding overuse and overstress), I’m all in on this study.
Overloading your knees is one way for them to wear down and become arthritic. I would not be surprised if the individuals who were never classified as a runner had a higher weight than those in the runner group. It would have been interesting if the researchers would have factored weight into the equation, because carrying that extra weight around all day certainly puts more strain on a person’s knees than an athletic person going for a 3-mile run.
Simply put, exercise is a great way to keep your body in good health. I always recommend exercise or strengthening workouts to pair with any other course of patient treatment.
Related source: Runners World