People who love to run will probably keep running regardless of the health outcomes, but others who are more ambivalent may worry about bringing on osteoarthritis in their knees with overuse. Researchers decided to investigate that possibility.
They collected knee X-rays, symptom assessments and lifetime physical activity histories on 2,683 people in the Osteoarthritis Initiative study. More than half of the volunteers were women, and the mean age was 64.
After analyzing all the data, the scientists found that runners were less likely to be suffering from knee pain. It didn’t matter what age they were when they ran, regular running seemed to offer modest protection against osteoarthritis of the knee.
[American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting, Nov.11, 2014]
People with arthritis are often encouraged to keep moving, especially the affected joints. This is partly to maintain muscle strength and tone and partly to maintain range of motion. It is good to know that those who love running don’t need to fret about harming their knees. The rest of us may need to find other ways to keep moving our bodies as the joints grow older.
