The Long Term Effects of Running on Your Knees

The Long Term Effects of Running on Your Knees

Running is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that really gets your blood flowing. It is an ideal way for individuals to combat all types of problems, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Those who run can look forward to all types of benefits in the future, including overall health management and weight loss. However, many people may fear running regularly for fear of wearing away at their joints. 

Both joint wear and the general effects of aging are considered to be major factors behind the development of osteoarthritis. Many high-impact exercises, including running, typically apply large amounts of pressure on the knees, hips and ankles. This leads many to believe that running regularly is one of the strongest ways to wear your joints out over the years. However, studies are beginning to show that this might not be entirely true, and experts believe that the wear itself is not as severe as many people believe, especially if individuals take a few necessary precautions to better protect their joints.

The large amount of concern that those who run regularly may wear out cartilage in their knees as a result of extensive use has led to stigma against distance running. Though the cause for this concern is real, as osteoarthritis is one of the world's most common and damaging joint diseases, it is ultimately better for individuals to know about the effects of the disease and what to expect in the future in order to better avoid its onset. There is no known cure for the disease currently, but, ultimately, the idea that running may cause osteoarthritis has already been extensively studied. 

In 2013, researchers published a study that documented the activities of over 14,000 runners and over 70,000 walkers during a period of seven years in order to determine whether or not they had a higher chance of developing osteoarthritis. The research showed that not only was there no increase in the cases of osteoarthritis, but there were fewer incidents of osteoarthritis and hip replacements among runners, simply because of their lower overall body mass index.

Though the research showed that running may not have a tremendously negative effect on joint health, it is important to be prepared. Studies also show that individuals who are over 20 pounds overweight may actual experience adverse effects on their joints because of how much the extra weight may affect their run. Ultimately, because of how well individuals ended up losing weight after running regularly, researchers agreed that the most important way for individuals to lose weight and improve their overall joint health was to run regularly. 

Like any other similar exercising approach, however, it is important to be as safe as possible in order to avoid damage. Try to take your running slow, especially if you have not done a lot of running in the past. Starting at an easy pace is one of the best ways to proceed because it allows you to adjust according to your exact level of comfort. Not every method of running is right for every person, so do not worry about measuring your progress against another runner. As long as you are moving forward and you are able to push yourself to stay with an exercise plan, you can benefit in the future without worrying about joint pain.