Does running for a long time cause damage to the knee joint?

Sports medicine physician Anne Rex, Ph.D., says there is little evidence that running causes knee arthritis.

How does running affect your knees?

Running causes changes to the cartilage and fluid in your knees, but when you rest the cartilage can recover and adapt over time, says Dr. Rex.

Researchers conducted a large survey of marathon runners and found that running more did not increase the risk of arthritis.

Conversely, when running, more fluid will move to your joints for lubrication which can reduce the risk of arthritis.

Is running surface important?

Different running terrain can make a difference in your joint health. Dr. Rex said running surface is important because it changes the impact on your body.

A smooth forest trail may seem best but poses other problems such as uneven ground, slippery spots, and objects you could trip over.

Is running on a treadmill bad for your knees?

According to Dr. Rex, treadmills are not harmful to your knees but also help you run when the weather is bad or you don't have a suitable outdoor path. The machine also helps runners control their speed and incline.

Is running on concrete bad for your knees?

Dr. Rex analyzed that running on asphalt and hard concrete will cause your joints to be impacted more and may be injured due to those forces. Therefore, when running on hard surfaces you need to spend more time resting between runs to allow your knee cartilage to recover.

A young person can run for days on concrete, but someone who is older or has arthritis may need more days of rest.

Is jogging every day bad for your knees?

According to Dr. Rex, if your joints are healthy and you're not trying to overcome an injury, jogging every day isn't harmful.

Therefore, always listen to your body to have a suitable running regimen instead of forcing yourself to follow a strict schedule.

How to protect your knees when jogging

Dr. Rex suggests 6 tips for runners to protect their knees.

Wear suitable shoes

Running shoes act as shock absorbers for your body, so they are most important for protecting your bones and joints.

Therefore, everyone should choose the right type of sports shoes for running and change running shoes every 500 to 800km.

Rest and recover between runs

This will help prevent future arthritis problems. If you have arthritis, take more time to rest between runs than the average person.

Try a knee brace

According to Dr. Rex, people with knee arthritis should try some lightweight knee braces that will help tolerate more running and even reduce the time needed to recover between runs.

Don't go too hard, too fast

To avoid injury, don't increase your running distance or intensity too quickly to give your body time to adapt.

According to Dr. Rex's recommendations, distance and time limits increase by no more than 10% per week.

Provides good energy for your body

Dr. Rex emphasized that to perform exercises such as jogging, you need to provide your body with appropriate nutrition to ensure that you receive enough calories and nutrients to help your body and joints recover.

Micah Soto

Update 12 July 2024