The Most Common Impacts of Running on Joint Health

If you’re a regular runner, especially if you’ve ever experienced joint aches or pains, you’ve probably wondered about the impact of running on joint health. Though running is often blamed for causing joint damage to the knees, research shows that when done correctly, it can actually help keep your joints healthy. 

In this article, we’ll highlight ways running benefits your joint health, share running habits to avoid and address common injuries that can arise from improper running practices. 

At Raleigh Adult Medicine, our sports medicine physicians not only help you recover from injuries, but they also guide you in the best ways to avoid them. Whether you’re concerned about running-related joint aches and pains or want to learn strategies to improve your performance, we can help. We encourage you to contact us for an appointment today. 

Is Running Bad for Your Joints?

One misconception about knee joints is that they wear out over time, like mechanical parts, and that running may hasten this process.

However, running itself is not bad for your joints. 

Research shows that running does not accelerate wear and tear. Joints are made of living tissue that adapts and strengthens with regular use. In fact, running promotes joint health by strengthening cartilage and improving lubrication.

While running on its own typically does not cause problems, you may experience issues if you:

• Ignore pain
• Have poor technique
• Have a history of injury
• Increase mileage too quickly or otherwise overexert yourself

How Does Running Benefit Your Joints?

You can think of running like a workout for your joints.

Running can:

• Strengthen the muscles around your joints, such as your quadriceps and hamstrings, which help stabilize joints and reduce stress on knees and ankles
• Support healthy cartilage, the cushioning tissue inside your joints, by stimulating cartilage maintenance and helping prevent deterioration
• Improve joint lubrication, which reduces friction and allows joints to move smoothly
• Help with weight management, which limits strain and pressure on your joints, especially your knees  
• Promote long-term joint resilience by helping joints adapt to stress over time

What Running Habits Can Cause Joint Damage?

As we mentioned previously, joint problems usually occur due to how you run and other related factors, not from running itself.  

Running habits that may cause joint damage include:

• Increasing mileage, intensity or frequency too quickly
• Neglecting appropriate rest and recovery time 
• Poor running form, such as overstriding, poor posture or improper foot placement
• Inadequate footwear that doesn’t provide proper cushioning and support
• Running on hard surfaces or uneven terrain
• Dismissing pain signals 

Avoiding these behaviors can help prevent joint damage. It’s also beneficial to practice such techniques as dynamic stretching before running, which aids in warming up muscles, increasing blood flow and improving flexibility. 

What Are Common Injuries Caused by Improper Running Habits?

While running is generally safe, improper running habits can lead to several common injuries. 

These injuries include:

• Runner’s knee, also called patellofemoral pain syndrome, in which pain is felt in the front of the knee or around the kneecap
  • Often caused by overuse or muscle imbalances

• Iliotibial (IT) band syndrome, or pain on the outside of the knee
  • Linked to repetitive motion or poor running form 

• Tendinitis, inflammation or irritation in tendons such as the knee or Achilles 
  • Caused by repetitive stress and insufficient recovery time 

• General joint irritation or stiffness

• • Related to overtraining or lack of adequate rest between runs

Though not caused by running itself, untreated or repeated injuries may contribute to long-term joint issues, including a higher risk of developing injury-related arthritis. 

Most of these injuries are preventable if you practice effective running habits such as: 

• Maintaining good running form
• Wearing supportive footwear
• Getting adequate rest 
• Avoiding overtraining 

Let Our Expert Sports Medicine Physicians Help You Find Relief from Sports-Related Injuries or Joint Issues

The good news about running is that it can support and maintain your joint health when done correctly, despite misconceptions to the contrary. If you train properly and give your body enough time to rest, you can enjoy the health benefits of running while avoiding injuries. 

If you’re experiencing running-related joint aches and pains or want to learn how to improve your performance, we can help. Our physicians treat a variety of sports-related injuries and provide non-surgical evaluation of joint issues. We also share strategies to help athletes of all skill levels avoid the most common sports injuries.

We invite you to contact us for an appointment today.