The research shows that healthy cartilage recovers quickly after running, and that there is no lasting effect of "wear and tear". When running, the joints are constantly activated and there should be wear and tear. So it turns out that the human body does not behave like a machine, it does not wear out like a tire or a screw, at least if reasonable pressures are applied to it

Running has many benefits - it improves cardiopulmonary endurance, cardiac output, blood pressure and other elements such as concentration and memory, sleep, mood and more. On the other hand, if you go to an orthopedist, some will tell you that running is good for the heart, but not for the joints and certainly not for the back.
Several studies in recent years, in which MRI scans were used, have proven that this is not the case, and in the last month They were joined by a meta-analysis which was published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage in the February 2023 issue. A meta-analysis is a review, which aims to compare and combine results obtained in several studies and this review, which was carried out by Sally Coburn (SLCoburn), a PhD student at the Sports Medicine Research Center of La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, Summarizes findings regarding the effect of running on the knee and hip cartilages in 396 running adults, some of whom have or are at risk of degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis).
In one of the studies reviewed, they followed trainees who were training for their first marathon. In the MRI scan that was performed on them before the training began, various findings were discovered in many, mainly damage to the cartilages and meniscus (spring of shock absorbers in the knee - A.B.H.), which did not prevent them from training. After running the marathon, for those who managed to finish it, it became clear after a certain time, that not only did the damage to the cartilage not get worse, but even improved. Other studies have proven that the discs in the back are not damaged either, on the contrary - running reduces the risk of back problems and it is advisable and healthy to return to running after an attack of back pain.
Other studies reviewed examined knee and/or hip cartilage using specialized MRI to assess its size, shape, structure and/or composition in the 48 hours before a single running session
and in the 48 hours after that. It turned out that if the MRI scan was performed within 20 minutes after the run, the results showed a decrease in cartilage volume and a decrease in T1 and T2 relaxation times (something that can indicate damage to the cartilage structure in the case of diseases such as arthritis - A.B.H.). On the other hand, after 48 hours of the run (and in other studies also only within an hour or an hour and a half after the run), these findings returned to the same levels as before the run. These findings have been replicated in several studies, although they have not been able to prove them in people with osteoarthritis due to a paucity of data. What did become clear about these people is that the low relaxation time of the T2 remains with them for a longer time after running compared to people without arthritis, and hence it is not yet known whether running is actually safe for people with osteoarthritis.
In conclusion, the main message from the review is that healthy cartilage appears to recover quickly after running, and that there is no lasting "wear and tear" effect. And then the question arises - how can this make sense? After all, when running, the joints are constantly activated and there should be wear and tear. So it turns out that the human body does not behave like a machine, it does not wear out like a tire or a screw, at least if reasonable pressures are applied to it. He knows how to adapt and just as bones and muscles get stronger, so do other tissues.
The author of the article: Ofer Ben Horin, who has about 20 years of experience in applications, drug research and training in the field of MRI. author of the bookMRI the complete guide-medicine and physics meet" on the website www.mriguide.co.il
Link to the article itself - website of the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Link to an article in English about the article - Medscape website
One response
Thank you very much for the article and the update on the new publication - interesting!
But this is a bit misleading... the results reviewed here examined structural damage in a specific place - in the cartilage. But knee problems in runners are varied, and unfortunately there are quite a few of them. Some details that may be of interest to runners in the article by physiotherapist Nir Krieger in the running magazine RUNPANEL - in this link: https://bit.ly/running-knees