Have you ever been afraid to run for fear of ruining your knees? A new study now suggests that running, in fact, may be good for them.
Many people believe that the repetitive motion of running grinds down the cartilage in the knee, leaving it susceptible to injury and even arthritis, a common inflammatory disease of the joints.
Researchers at Brigham Young University recently set out to study this unique relationship between knees and running. They evaluated 15 runners under the age of 30, while each ran for 30 minutes at a time.
The most encouraging discovery was that after running, participants had lower levels (in their blood) of certain cells that lead to inflammation.
It was also noted that these runners had lower body masses of non-runners of the same age, thereby offering the knees some protection in carrying less weight around.
While medical experts agree that this was a small study, it is a good indication that moderate amounts of running are healthy for the knee and could even offer some defense against potential injuries and early onset arthritis.
If you are interested in starting a new running routine, remember to start out slowly, give yourself plenty of time to rest and recover between runs, and invest in some properly-fitting shoes.
If you experience any pain in your knees as a result of running, please contact usfor an appointment.
(Adapted from The New York Times-Health)
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