MensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex
  • Nutrition
  • Style
  • Weight Loss
  • Life
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Motoring
  • Video
MensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex
  • Nutrition
  • Style
  • Weight Loss
  • Life
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Motoring
  • Video
Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic
Watch 0:10

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic

{headline}

{headline}

How To Train For The Mother Of All Endurance Events

How To Train For The Mother Of All Endurance Events

'I Ran 30 Minutes Every Day For A Month - Here's What Happened'

'I Ran 30 Minutes Every Day For A Month - Here's What Happened'

Just One Run Per Week Can Cut Risk Of Early Death By 27%

Just One Run Per Week Can Cut Risk Of Early Death By 27%

The Lower Body Workout That Will Help You Run Faster And Further

The Lower Body Workout That Will Help You Run Faster And Further

{headline}

{headline}

Here's Why You Shouldn't Run With Your Phone In Your Hand

Here's Why You Shouldn't Run With Your Phone In Your Hand

The Training Schedule Behind Marathon Legend Mo Farah's Success

The Training Schedule Behind Marathon Legend Mo Farah's Success

MH Tech Review: Salomon Speedcross 5 Trail Shoe

MH Tech Review: Salomon Speedcross 5 Trail Shoe

{headline}

{headline}

Feet-First Into Upping Your Cardio Game

Feet-First Into Upping Your Cardio Game

This 96-Year-Old Man Just Broke the 5K World Record for His Age Group

This 96-Year-Old Man Just Broke the 5K World Record for His Age Group

Scientists Claim to Have Found the Limit of Human Endurance

Scientists Claim to Have Found the Limit of Human Endurance

Why These Aussie Legends Are Running Across Bali

Why These Aussie Legends Are Running Across Bali

​7 Bucket List Marathons You Should Run In 2019

​7 Bucket List Marathons You Should Run In 2019

Knee Injuries? A Runner's Guide To Recovery

Knee Injuries? A Runner's Guide To Recovery

Regular Running Can Double Your Chances of Making It to 85

Regular Running Can Double Your Chances of Making It to 85

  1. Home
  2. Health

​Here’s What Running Really Does To Your Knees

​You hear everywhere that it’ll wreck your joints. But what does science say? - by Christa Sgobba
  • 26 Jun 2017
​Here’s What Running Really Does To Your Knees
Getty Images

It’s one of the most common refrains in the fitness world: Running will wreck your knees. But how true is it, really?

Researchers from Spain tackled that age-old question. After crunching the numbers from 17 studies including over 125,000 people, they concluded that recreational running doesn’t seem to put your joints at risk.

They key word, though, seems to be recreational. Just under 4 percent of recreational runners—those who run in an amateur context—developed hip or knee arthritis, compared to just over 10 percent of sedentary people who didn’t run at all. But when looking at competitive runners, or those at an elite level who take part in pro or international competitions? Over 13 percent of them had hip or knee arthritis.

In fact, recreational runners were 14 percent less likely to develop hip or knee arthritis than sedentary people were. On the flip side, competitive runners were 34 percent more likely to get an arthritis diagnosis than those who stayed parked on their butts.

These relationships held true in people who ran for up to 15 years—there just wasn’t enough studies done on running longer-term to draw firm conclusions for that, the researchers say.

RELATED: 4 Reasons Why Men Should Do Yoga

In animal trials, slight or moderate running—as gauged by distance—has been shown to have a chondroprotective effect, meaning it delays the progressive joint space narrowing that you see with arthritis. But this protection wasn’t seen in longer, more intense distances, according to the researchers.

Because this study didn’t look at mileage, it can’t say for sure what distance is considered safe or protective for you knees and hips.

Bottom line? You don’t have to worry that running for fun will hurt your knees—recreational running may even protect them.

RELATED: Tips For Running Your First Race

Still, there are some things you can be doing that put your joints at risk.

This article originally appeared on menshealth.com.

  • Health
  • Running

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Recommended to you

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic
Watch 0:10

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic

{headline}

{headline}

How To Train For The Mother Of All Endurance Events

How To Train For The Mother Of All Endurance Events

'I Ran 30 Minutes Every Day For A Month - Here's What Happened'

'I Ran 30 Minutes Every Day For A Month - Here's What Happened'

Just One Run Per Week Can Cut Risk Of Early Death By 27%

Just One Run Per Week Can Cut Risk Of Early Death By 27%

The Lower Body Workout That Will Help You Run Faster And Further

The Lower Body Workout That Will Help You Run Faster And Further

{headline}

{headline}

Here's Why You Shouldn't Run With Your Phone In Your Hand

Here's Why You Shouldn't Run With Your Phone In Your Hand

The Training Schedule Behind Marathon Legend Mo Farah's Success

The Training Schedule Behind Marathon Legend Mo Farah's Success

MH Tech Review: Salomon Speedcross 5 Trail Shoe

MH Tech Review: Salomon Speedcross 5 Trail Shoe

{headline}

{headline}

Feet-First Into Upping Your Cardio Game

Feet-First Into Upping Your Cardio Game

This 96-Year-Old Man Just Broke the 5K World Record for His Age Group

This 96-Year-Old Man Just Broke the 5K World Record for His Age Group

Scientists Claim to Have Found the Limit of Human Endurance

Scientists Claim to Have Found the Limit of Human Endurance

Why These Aussie Legends Are Running Across Bali

Why These Aussie Legends Are Running Across Bali

​7 Bucket List Marathons You Should Run In 2019

​7 Bucket List Marathons You Should Run In 2019

Knee Injuries? A Runner's Guide To Recovery

Knee Injuries? A Runner's Guide To Recovery

Regular Running Can Double Your Chances of Making It to 85

Regular Running Can Double Your Chances of Making It to 85

MensHealth
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Chris Hemsworth Hugo Boss
  • Terms
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Chris Hemsworth Hugo Boss
  • Terms
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement

Brands

  • Women's Health

Our Network

  • Paragon Media Pty Ltd
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Men's Health

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe Now-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe Now