Episode 8 : [Science vs. Myth #4] Are You DESTROYING Your Knees? The Truth About Running Revealed 🏃

Episode 8 : [Science vs. Myth #4] Are You DESTROYING Your Knees? The Truth About Running Revealed 🏃💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: [email protected]☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work:⁠ https://ko-fi.com/lactate⁠⁠⁠⁠Summary: Does running destroy your knees? A landmark meta-analysis shatters this myth: recreational runners have a lower prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (3.5%) compared to sedentary individuals (10.2%). The "wear and tear" analogy is wrong; articular cartilage is a living, adaptive tissue that requires the "sponge mechanism" of running. This cyclical loading is vital, squeezing out waste and drawing in nutrient-rich fluid. The path to longevity is running intelligently. Build a "muscular exoskeleton" with strength training (≥ 2 days/week, 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps of compound lifts) to make muscles your primary shock absorbers. Reduce impact forces by increasing your cadence 5-10% to prevent overstriding. The risk is a U-shaped curve: inactivity (10.2%) and elite/competitive volume (13.3%) are riskier, though the elite risk may be confounded by acute injuries rather than just mileage.Keywords: running, knee, osteoarthritis, cartilage, joint health, strength training, biomechanics, cadence, u-shaped curve🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance.Key references : Alentorn-Geli, E., Samuelsson, K., Musahl, V., Green, C. L., Bhandari, M., & Karlsson, J. (2017). The association of recreational and competitive running with hip and knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 47(6), 373-390. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2017.7137American College of Sports Medicine. (2009). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 41(3), 687-708. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670Dhillon, J., Woolnough, T., Luo, T. D., Glogau, A. I., Glogau, C. R., Scillia, A. J., & Kraeutler, M. J. (2023). Effects of running on the development of knee osteoarthritis: An updated systematic review at short-term follow-up. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 11(3), 23259671231152900. https://doi.org/10.1177/23259671231152900Khan, M., O'Donovan, J., Charlton, J. M., Roy, J. S., Hunt, M. A., & Esculier, J. F. (2021). The influence of running on lower limb cartilage: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 51(11), 2385-2405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01533-5Petersen, J., Nielsen, R. O., Rasmussen, S., & Sørensen, H. (2015). The cumulative loads increase in the knee joint at slow-speed running compared with faster running: A biomechanical study. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 45(3), 218-225. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2015.5469Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team.