Is running bad for my knees?

Does running “wear out” our knees?

There are many factors that contribute to arthritis (OA) in the knees, including prior injury to the knee, increased BMI, and occupational workload.

While running should not be the only exercise we do (weight training is vital to bone, tendon, and muscle health, especially as we age), for many people it is an easy, cost effective, and often therapeutic activity.

But sometimes people are hesitant to run, hearing phrases like “it’s bad for your knees”.

Is that true?

A review of the literature shows that recreational runners had lower occurrence of OA in the hip and knee compared to both non-runners and elite or competitive runners.

In general, elite or professional sports increase the risk for developing OA, and the high volume/high intensity training as well as the potential for knee injury puts these athletes at risk over time.

A sedentary lifestyle is even worse for your health.  So, if running is your thing, keep it up! Activity is protective for our joints. And decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease improves long term health and wellness.

Alentorn-Geli, Eduard, et al. "The association of recreational and competitive running with hip and knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis." journal of orthopaedic & sports physical therapy 47.6 (2017): 373-390.