Many people have heard that running is bad for you and can cause problems over time, such as knee or hip osteoarthritis. In this blog, we will investigate the claims that running is harmful and explore the beneficial aspects of running to help you make an informed decision on whether running is a good form of exercise for you.
A common reason some people believe running contributes to knee and hip osteoarthritis is the idea that our body wears down with use, similar to car parts. The analogy is that just as car brakes wear out over time and need replacing, our knees and hips “wear out” with use. While this is an understandable thought process, it is not supported by evidence. When our bodies are exposed to an appropriate level of stress, it encourages positive transformations. For example, resistance exercise like a bicep curl doesn’t “wear down” your arm over time; it actually makes your bicep bigger and stronger as your body responds to the stress! Similarly, appropriate levels of force on our joints and muscles make our bodies stronger over time. To support this idea, a research paper from 2017, which looked at over 100,000 people, showed knee and hip osteoarthritis rates in runners at different volumes1.
This study found that recreational runners actually have less knee and hip osteoarthritis than people who don’t run at all. On the other end of the spectrum, competitive runners, defined as those who ran more than 57 miles a week or a little over 8 miles every day (mostly elite and professional runners), showed different results. However, since the vast majority of runners don’t reach this level, it should help you feel confident that running is unlikely to be a contributing factor to the development of osteoarthritis
Another common concern is that running on concrete surfaces is a recipe for disaster and an injury waiting to happen. This concern often ties back to the idea of increasing “wear and tear” on your body. But is this actually true? Surprisingly, the answer is unclear based on current evidence. No experiments have directly compared injury rates between groups running on softer surfaces like synthetic tracks and those running on harder surfaces like concrete. Even studies looking at risk factors for injury do not consistently find that running on concrete leads to more injuries than other surfaces2. Therefore, if you find that running on concrete is more accessible or enjoyable, you can be confident that this is unlikely to be the cause of any injuries that may occur.
While running may not be harmful, is it beneficial? Multiple studies have investigated the health benefits of running and have found that it helps improve body fat percentage, resting heart rate, and VO2 max, all of which are beneficial for general health and a sign of improved cardiovascular fitness. Other studies have found a 23%, 20%, and 27% reduction in all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, in runners compared to those who do not run at all3.
Running has also been shown to have mental health benefits both in single bouts and over longer periods. Studies have found that runners tend to have more positive mental health outcomes compared to non-runners. Additionally, initiating running programs in individuals with mild to moderate depression has been shown to improve markers of mental health over varying time frames of 2 to 12 weeks4.
The belief that running is bad for you due to “wear and tear” has little basis in the current evidence. Running, especially at a recreational level, is likely to be beneficial both physically and mentally for many reasons. However, if running isn’t for you, that’s okay too! There are plenty of other cardio activities like biking, using an elliptical, and swimming that can provide similar health benefits. If you are struggling to get back to running after an injury or are trying to start running for the first time and don’t know where to begin, our physical therapists at Maven are happy to help you achieve your goals.
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