Habitual running ‘may prevent osteoarthritis, not cause it’ study, a new study suggests that regular participation in running sports does not increase the risk of knee osteoarthritis; it may actually help prevent the disease. Researchers say regular running does not increase the risk of osteoarthritis of the knee in the general population; it may actually prevent the disease from occurring. A team of researchers co-led by Grace Hsiao Wei Lo of Baylor College of Medicine recently presented their findings at the annual American College of Rheumatology meeting in Boston, Massachusetts. Osteoarthritis is a joint disease characterized by the destruction of cartilage, joint pads, ligaments and bone. It most often involves the knees, hips, hands and spine. It is estimated that approximately 26.9 million adults in the United States suffer from different types of osteoarthritis, with middle-aged and older adults being the most affected. Although it’s not clear exactly what causes osteoarthritis, some studies suggest that regular running may contribute to the disease. But the team noted that these studies were conducted among professional male runners, so their research was not appropriate for the general population. In addition, the researchers noted that runners typically have a lower BMI (body mass index) and that a low BMI is associated with a lower risk of knee osteoarthritis. With this in mind, Drs. Hsiao and Wei Lo, along with their colleagues, set out to better understand the link between regular running and knee osteoarthritis. Analyzing participants in the Osteoarthritis Initiative In their study, the team analyzed 2,683 participants with an average age of 64.5 years who were part of an observational study called the Osteoarthritis Initiative. The study was based on an evaluation of participants’ osteoarthritis symptoms and knee x-rays, as well as on the completion of a lifetime physical activity questionnaire. The questionnaire detailed their most frequent physical activity during four different time periods in their lifetime, such as 12-18 years, 19-34 years, 35-49 years, and 50 years and older. Knee x-rays were taken again two years later, and the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) classification was used to assess for signs of imaging knee osteoarthritis – a condition in which the patient has no pain but can show up on x-rays. Participants were identified as having imaging knee osteoarthritis (ROA) if their KL classification was greater than or equal to grade 2. In addition, participants were evaluated for knee pain and if they had regular pain in one knee, they were classified as having symptomatic osteoarthritis SOA. Those participants who experienced total knee replacement were classified as having regular pain, i.e. ROA combined with SOA. Adherence to habitual running in life was not harmful to the knee joint. The analysis revealed that participants who were able to run regularly regardless of age were less likely to experience frequent knee pain, ROA and SOA than those who were unable to run regularly. only 22.8% of those who were able to run consistently every day of their lives experienced SOA. the researchers found that individuals with a low BMI were more likely to participate in regular running. The team said these results suggest that regular running does not increase the risk of osteoarthritis of the knee in the general population; it may actually prevent the disease from occurring. However, the researchers noted that their study did not determine whether regular running would be harmful to those who already had osteoarthritis of the knee. But Dr. Hsiao-Wei Lo continued, “However, from the point of view of ‘habitual running is not harmful to the knee joint,’ there is no reason to limit the persistence of habitual running in the lives of those who do not suffer from knee osteoarthritis. “ Another study reported in Medical News Today last year produced similar results, that showed that 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week in middle-aged and older adults did not increase the risk of knee osteoarthritis.