If you’re a runner, you’ve likely heard the well-meaning warning that your beloved habit is eventually going to do a number on your knees. Or maybe you’re avoiding running now, assuming (falsely) you’re doing your future knees a favor. But since the knee is the most frequently acutely injured body part in runners, those immediate injuries don’t necessarily mean that running is bad for most knees over the course of a knee’s life. On the contrary, the latest research shows that runners have three times less knee and hip osteoarthritis than sedentary non-runners. Of course, something other than running—a history of injury or genetics, for example—might explain the differences between some sedentary people and runners. But for 99 percent of runners—even those who aim to qualify to run in the Boston Marathon—running is likely beneficial to their knees. If you already have arthritis in your knees but still love to run? Though research is limited, it indicates that you don’t need to stop. There is no evidence to suggest that osteoarthritis would progress any differently in people who continue to run. That is, cartilage isn’t likely to degrade more, nor will the space in the joint shrink any faster. In fact, based on early evidence from studies that follow people with knee osteoarthritis over time, those who run may end up decreasing their pain levels more than those who don’t run. One reason for misconceptions about running and knees may be rooted in past beliefs about cartilage. We used to think that cartilage couldn’t get stronger because it lacked a blood and nerve supply, and we thought it could only wear out. But now we know that running stimulates fluid moving out of the cartilage during the run and then back in when the run is over. This process brings nutrients to the cartilage, which helps it adapt and get stronger with activity, much like your muscles and bones get stronger with exercise. Result: lower—not higher—risk of knee arthritis. Like all types of exercise, one should introduce running gradually, avoiding drastic increases in distance or speed. Listen to one’s body, and do not run through pain unless it is advised by qualified healthcare professionals. Bottom line: We need to forget the old idea that running is bad for the knees. Running is good for the knees. Rare are the people who should avoid running altogether!
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