You know the warning people often give middle-aged joggers: don’t run too much or you’ll end up with bad knees? “It’s very much a myth,” says Richard Blagrove, senior lecturer in physiology at Loughborough University.
While many believe that running is linked to osteoarthritis (chronic joint pain) in the knees, studies have revealed that recreational and competitive runners have a much lower incidence of developing it compared with those who don’t run. Research from 25 studies (with a total sample size of about 115,000 participants) has shown that running actually appears to be protective against hip and knee osteoarthritis as we age. Exercise causes very slight damage to muscles, tendons, bones and cartilage but also leads them to grow back stronger and healthier.
“There’s a far lower association of knee pain in runners in their older years compared with those who don’t run,” says Blagrove.
But it’s not that simple: short-term knee injuries are common for runners. Known as patellofemoral pain, it will be experienced by many joggers at some time – figures range from between 14% and 42%, depending on the sub-population of runners in the study. This pain is often caused by wonky running technique, wearing the wrong trainers or, most likely, increasing the volume or the intensity of running too fast. This is particularly common for newbies. “But if they played tennis four times a week, compared with playing nothing, they would probably get an injury,” says Blagrove. “It’s not the running that’s bad for their knees, it’s the fact that they’ve done too much, too soon.”
To avoid pain around the knees from running, start your training plan gently and build up intensity slowly. Run at a slower pace, opt for shorter distances and take longer breaks between workouts. If your knees do hurt, don’t worry too much, says Blagrove. “People often bounce back quite quickly, once they have had a bit of rest and recovery.”