MechanoTherapy Run/Walk Club Blog: Post #1
To kick off our Run/Walk blog we would like to address one of the biggest myths that just won’t die. And that’s the idea that running causes arthritis, joint damage, or wear-and-tear on the body. The fact is, recreational runners actually have a substantially lower risk of developing hip or knee arthritis compared to people who are sedentary. In 2017, researchers studied all of the existing literature on running and its effects on arthritis. In total, the group looked at 17 studies which included over 114,000 participants. What they found was amazing. Only 3.5% of recreational runners had a diagnosis of knee or hip osteoarthritis while sedentary individuals experienced osteoarthritis at a rate of 10.2%. However, there does seem to be a tipping point. Once runners regularly accumulate more than 57 miles a week, the risk of OA jumps up to 13%. Just like medicine, you have to dose your exercise properly. So does running cause arthritis? No! Running does not cause arthritis and, in fact, it likely has protective effects on the cartilage of your hips, knees and spine. I hope this gets you excited to get out there and decrease your risk of osteoarthritis on Wednesdays, where you can join the MechanoTherapy Run/Walk Club 1, 3, or 5 mile route options! The next time someone tells you running ruins your knees, send them this blog!
