Does running for a long time damage knee joints?

Jogging is one of the effective and convenient forms of exercise that many people love. However, many people cannot help but wonder if jogging damages the joints?

There is little evidence that running causes knee arthritis, says sports medicine physician Anne Rex, MD.

Table of Contents

• How does running affect your knees?
• Does running surface matter?
• Is running on a treadmill bad for your knees?
• Is running on concrete bad for your knees?
• Is Running Every Day Bad for Your Knees?
• How to protect your knees when running

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 study of marathon runners and found that running more did not increase the risk of arthritis.

Conversely, when you run, more fluid moves to your joints for lubrication, which can reduce your risk of arthritis.

Does running surface matter?

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

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

Is running on a treadmill bad for your knees?

According to Dr. Rex, treadmills are not bad for your knees, but they also allow you to run when the weather is bad or you don't have a suitable outdoor path. They also allow runners to control their speed and incline.

Is running on concrete bad for your knees?

Dr. Rex analyzed that running on hard asphalt and concrete will cause your joints to be impacted more and can be injured by those forces. Therefore, when running on hard surfaces, you need to take more rest time between runs to allow the knee cartilage to recover.

A young person can run continuously for days on concrete but an older person or someone with arthritis may need more rest days.

Is Running Every Day Bad for Your Knees?

According to Dr. Rex, if your joints are healthy and you're not trying to overcome an injury, running every day won't hurt.

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 running

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

Wear suitable shoes

Running shoes act as shock absorbers for your body and are therefore of utmost importance to protect your bones and joints.

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

Rest and recovery between runs

This will help prevent future arthritis problems. If you already have arthritis, take more rest between runs than you would normally.

Try a knee brace

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

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 recommendation, the distance and time limit should increase by no more than 10% per week.

Provides good energy for your body

Dr. Rex emphasizes that to perform exercises such as jogging, you need to provide your body with the right nutrition to ensure that you get enough calories and nutrients to help your body and joints recover.