No longer will runners have to listen to the same chat that ‘All that running will destroy your joints!’ The publication of a new study in the Recreational running does not harm knee joints, according to study has showed that recreational running does not negatively affect the knee joint cartilage, nor lead to osteoarthritis.
The results of the study found that only 3.5% of recreational runners have either knee or hip osteoarthritis compared to 10.2% of non-runners. (The term ‘recreational’ in this study refers to amateur runners – in other words, those who enjoy going out for a run on a non-professional basis.)
Professional runners, however, did not fare so well. The years of pounding the running tracks year in, year out meant that 13.3% of elite or ex-elite runners had symptoms of osteoarthritis.
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Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis in the UK. It causes joint movement to become problematic due to pain, stiffness, swelling and grating. Experts involved in the study also found that running may in fact be beneficial for long-term joint health by providing a protective effect against the development of cartilage problems.
The study also recommends that runners suffering from osteoarthritis should continue to run rather than cease altogether, but run less frequently to allow the cartilage to recover.
