However, nearly a quarter of all surveyed runners reported being advised by their doctors to reduce their mileage or stop running altogether, indicating that the “wear-and-tear” mentality around osteoarthritis still prevails among some doctors. “They refute the current dogma that long-distance running predisposes an individual to arthritis of the hip and knee.”

Vehniah Tjong, an orthopedic sports surgeon and co-author of the study. “Runners should be encouraged by our results,” said Dr.

The results could apply to average runners who never get close to marathon-level distance, the researchers said. The study included runners with a wide range of weekly mileages, ages, and cumulative years spent running. Surprisingly, the researchers found no correlation between running frequency, distance, or speed, and a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis in the hip or knee. Participants were asked about their running habits, including how long they had been running, their average pace, and whether they had a family history of arthritis. The study, conducted by Northwestern University and presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ annual meeting, surveyed 3,804 recreational runners who participated in the Chicago Marathon in 2019 or 2021.

Once it is damaged, cartilage cannot regenerate. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that causes pain, stiffness, and disability as cartilage cushioning the bones wears down. A new study challenges the widely-held belief that running can lead to hip or knee osteoarthritis, a condition that affects over 32 million Americans.

Sub rosa 2014 online