Do you run for fun, fitness or stress release? Whatever your reason, running is a wonderful cardiovascular activity with full body benefits.

According to a long-term study, runners have longer lifespans and are less likely to develop a disabililty¹. A study followed runners and non-runners over a 21-year time span to determine if runners were more likely to develop knee Osteoarthritis. The study concluded that runners were NOT more likely to develop arthritis in their knee. Arthritis is not actually due only to mechanical wear and tear of the joint. It is largely related to overall inflammation in your body. It can be linked to low-grade chronic inflammation. The mechanical causes of arthritis are due to configuration of the bones. If you have bowed knees or knock knees, you will have uneven wear on the surface of your bones leading to uneven wear on the meniscus and cartilage on the ends of the bones. Many studies have shown that therapeutic exercise, weight control and increased activity have positive effects on lowering pain from arthritis². Exercise programs that focus on strength, stretching and aerobic conditioning are most valuable use of your time to mitigate the effects of osteoarthritis. Call Motus Physical Therapy NW 541-231-3644 for solutions to knee pain!

References:

1. Chakravarty, E. et al, Reduced disability and mortality among aging runners: a 21-year longitudinal study.Arch Intern Med. 2008 Aug 11;168(15):1638-46. doi: 10.1001/archinte.168.15.1638.
2. Uthman Olalekan A, van der Windt Danielle A, Jordan Joanne L, Dziedzic Krysia S, Healey Emma L, Peat George M et al. Exercise for lower limb osteoarthritis: systematic review incorporating trial sequential analysis and network meta-analysis BMJ 2013; 347 :f5555