Is running bad for your knees?

It’s marathon season, but whether you’re running 40 kilometres or four you might’ve wondered what it’s doing to your joints.

It used to be thought things like osteoarthritis of the knee or the hip were caused by wear and tear, and running made things worse.

Norman and Tegan jog through how the evidence has evolved, and answer the question: should you be hopping on the run club trend?

References: 

• Running and your knees - ABC listen
• Effects of Running on the Development of Knee Osteoarthritis: An Updated Systematic Review at Short-Term Follow-up
• The Association of Recreational and Competitive Running With Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
• The risk of osteoarthritis with running and aging: a 5-year longitudinal study. - Abstract
• Can marathon running improve knee damage of middle-aged adults? A prospective cohort study
• How much running is too much? Identifying high-risk running sessions in a 5200-person cohort study
• Using metformin to treat knee osteoarthritis - ABC listen
• Changing the brain to reduce pain and walk the Camino - ABC listen
• Metabolic syndrome meets osteoarthritis | Nature Reviews Rheumatology
• Mechanical loading and orthobiologic therapies in the treatment of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA): a comprehensive review
• Leisure-Time Running Reduces All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality Risk

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• Sweaty sauna bathing for better health
• Is being an Olympian bad for your health?

You can listen to more episodes of the What’s That Rash? podcast with presenters Norman Swan and Tegan Taylor on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. We answer your questions on everything from TikTok wellness trends to wonder drugs and diet myths.