No stress on your joints, good for your back

Running does not have to be associated with an increased prevalence of osteoarthritis. This was proven by a study of long-distance runners and the results were published by Orthopaedist Dr Markus Walther from Würzburg, Germany, in ‘Sport Orthopaedics and Traumatology’ (20, 2004). The runners who participated in Walther’s study had significantly fewer back problems than the rest of the population. The results of his research demonstrate that running also has a “protective function”. The German associate professor believes that regular exercise and targeted training can stimulate the body’s regenerative processes, which slow down the typical aging process. Walther and his colleagues based their results on an intensive study of 1,203 participants in the 2003 Würzburg marathon. They compared runners under 40 with runners over 40 in order to investigate age-typical injury patterns. Key findings:

• Back pain was “significantly less common” in all age groups than in the general population
• Younger runners suffered far more injuries than older ones
• The arthritis rate among the long-distance runners over 40 was, as expected, significantly higher than among those under 40, but it was not higher than that of the general population
• Muscle strains and Achilles tendon injuries were no more common than among the general population

The positive effect on the back even surprised the medical professionals. However, back pain remains the number one health concern in Europe. “Running forces you to straighten your spine with every step, making it the ideal workout for your muscles,” explained Walther at a sports medicine conference in Munich, Germany.