Long-distance Running helps OA?

Long-distance Running helps OA?

Reference:Chakravarty EF, et alFries JF.Long distance running and knee osteoarthritis. A prospective study.Am J Prev Med. 2008 Aug;35(2):133-8.

Long-distance Running helps OA? & Reference: Chakravarty EF, et alFries JF.Long distance running and knee osteoarthritis. A prospective study.Am J Prev Med. 2008 Aug;35(2):133-8. This 21 year-long study (1984-2002) followed 45 long-distance male & female runners and 53 controls with an average age of 58 (range 50-72) years, all the while taking serial knee x-rays of their knees.

In the beginning of the study, 7% of the runners and none of the controls had evidence of knee OA on x-ray.

After 21 years…

20% of the runners versus 32% of the controls had mild-moderate knee OA.

2% of the runners versus 9% of the controls had severe OA.

None of the runners versus 2 of the subjects in the control group had received a total knee replacement!

Do you see the irony? Those who ran for 20 years had actually less knee OA and fewer knee replacements (although not statistically significant).

Conclusion: “Long-distance running among healthy older individuals was not associated with accelerated radiographic OA.”

Here is a direct quote from the paper that justifies my clinical decision and the fact that I went against the MDs advice to my 75 y.o. patient.

“Long-distance running or other routine vigorous activities should not be discouraged among healthy older adults out of concern for progression of knee OA.”

Personal Comment: If jogging is not an option, I certainly promote daily walking for seniors. Walking does NOT accelerate knee or hip OA either!

Posted on: October 06, 2012

Categories: Hip , Knee