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" Although there is evidence to suggest that regular running can have an adverse effect on the knees, potentially leading to the joint wearing away and needing replacing, new research shows that taking part in such exercise could in fact have the opposite effect, helping to prevent the development of osteoarthritis. This is according to a study carried out by doctors from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, who presented their findings at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting in Boston. The team recruited 2,683 participants for their study, with an average age of 64.5. All were required to complete a questionnaire detailing the type of physical activity they had taken part in at different stages of their life, while they were also assessed for any symptoms of osteoarthritis. Around two years later, further knee X-rays were taken, as well as details regarding any joint pain. Radiographic knee osteoarthritis (ROA) was identified in some patients from the X-rays, as this form of the condition does not cause pain, while those who were in discomfort or had undergone a knee replacement were diagnosed as having symptomatic osteoarthritis (SOA). When the questionnaire results were analysed in correlation with the X-ray results, it was found that those who had regularly ran at some point during their life were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with either form of the condition. Just 22.8 per cent of the participants who were runners developed SOA, in comparison to 29.8 per cent of those who did not take part in such exercise. The average body mass index (BMI) of the patients monitored throughout the study was 28.6, with those with a lower BMI more likely to run regularly and therefore be less likely to develop osteoarthritis, suggesting that maintaining a healthy weight may also help to prevent the onset of the condition. Lead author of the research paper Dr Grace Hsiao-Wei Lo commented: &amp;#039;In people who do not have knee osteoarthritis, there is no reason to restrict participation in habitual running at any time in life from the perspective that it does not appear harmful to the knee joint.&amp;#039; "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/news/a25358/regular-running-prevents-knee-osteoarthritis/>