Does Running Actually Ruin Your Knees?

The Question: I’ve always heard that running is bad for your knees. Is this really true? Both runners and non-runners alike have heard that the high impact of running ― the repetitive pounding which occurs as you log miles ― can cause damage to knee joints.  But a recent study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology turns that notion on its head: Researchers found that running actually decreased inflammation in the knees of six people, suggesting that the activity may actually be more beneficial to the joints than harmful.  “Any time you run, you put a load or force on the knee,” lead study author Robert Hyldahl, assistant professor at Brigham Young University, told The Huffington Post. “But the knee is made to load.”  The study was extremely small partly due to logistical challenges. The experiment required extracting synovial fluid, an indicator for inflammation, from knee cartilage, which proved to be very difficult, Hyldahl said. But regardless it still may shed light on the idea that knee cartilage is meant to absorb just the type of shock that running causes. So while the data is limited, it could perhaps persuade someone who thinks running is bad for your knees to get out there and run, Hyldahl explained. Mark Harrast, medical director of the Sports Medicine Center at the University of Washington, agrees, but says there’s a catch: While the most current research shows that running does not...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news