Does Running Cause Knee Osteoarthritis? What the Evidence Says
Does Running Wear Out Your Knees? Running, jogging and knee osteoarthritis: separating myth from evidence For years, runners have heard a familiar warning: “If you keep running, you will damage your knees.” It sounds plausible. Running repeatedly loads the knee, and osteoarthritis (OA) involves changes in the joint, including cartilage and bone. So, does every step bring us closer to a knee replacement? The evidence does not support such a simple conclusion. For recreational runners, current evidence does not show that running itself inevitably causes knee osteoarthritis . In fact, several systematic reviews have found no higher prevalence of knee OA among runners compared with non-runners. However, the evidence is observational and has important limitations, so running should not be described as either universally harmful or universally protective. ( PubMed ) The Myth: “Running =Knee Wear and Tear” The knee is not a machine with a fixed number of steps. It is a living, adaptable biolo...
