Running, osteoarthritis, and bone density: initial 2-year longitudinal study

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to present the 2-year follow-up results examining associations of repetitive long-term physical impact (running) with osteoarthritis and osteoporosis in 34 members of a running club now aged 52 to 74 years and 34 matched control subjects. PATIENT'S AND METHODS: Roentgenograms of the hands, lateral lumbar spine, and knees were assessed in pairs (1984 and 1986) without knowledge of running status. Computerized scans of the first lumbar vertebrae were obtained to quantify bone mineral. RESULTS: A decrease in bone density over the 2-year period was statistically significant for nearly all subjects, especially for runners who decreased their running habits. At the 2-year follow-up, runners maintained greater bone density. Progression of the roentgenographic scores for osteoarthritis demonstrated a statistically significant increase in almost aH groups in this normative population over the 2-year period. Female runners had more spur formation in the weight-bearing knee roentgenograms than did control subjects. CONCLUSION: With the possible exception of spur formation in women, running did not appear to influence the development of radiologic osteoarthritis in the populations studied.
Increased physical activity is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as with weight reduction, a decrease in blood pressure, and improved mood. However, there is also a concern that running, a form of exercise for 15 million Americans, may increase the risk of osteoarthritis (OA), a long-term joint disease. OA is characterized by the destruction of joint cartilage, and overgrowth, malformation, and impaired function of the bone within the joint. The relation between long-term physical impact, as experienced with running, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis (loss of bone content) was assessed in 34 runners and 34 nonrunners aged 52 to 74 years. Bone density was decreased in all subjects over the two-year follow-up, particularly runners who had stopped running routinely, although runners had greater bone density than nonrunners. X-ray findings associated with OA were increased in all groups over the two-year period of study, and female runners more frequently had bone malformations within the knee than nonrunners. The results show that running is not associated with an increased risk of OA, with the exception of bone malformation in women runners. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)