Running and Osteoarthritis

[north_north_west]

Thanks for all of your input, again.  I have taken up gym-type activities (elliptical, bike machine, leading to a real bike when the weather clears) after it sort of felt that while I could (kind of) run, it really wasn't good for me.  I felt it for three days afterwards.

I do notice that these excercises are much easier on your body than running - I have no problem doing them every day.  But still, it is disappointing to be 'exercising' rather than running.  But progess seems to be continually being made, and I am hopeful that there will be some new treatments for this eventually solve this issue.

On another note, I had Supartz shots back in December-January, and I am not sure if it did any good at all.  Today, for example, is not a particularly good day.

[marksetg0]

This thread goes back a while, but I just read it. I'm 56 years old and have been a runner for 30 plus years. Knee pain forced me to stop eight months ago. I finally saw a doctor who diagnosed ostoarthritis. I recently was fitted for an unloader brace. I know I'm not supposed to, but I run with the brace. I can tell you that I am completly pain free. I will continue to run on the brace and to hell with the future.

[slyguy1]

At this point in your life.....after 30 years of running....i guess anyone else would feel the same way and go for it. You should however take measures to protect and go easy on them to maximize your longevity of your running. I just wish i knew what i know now.....i would still be running but a lot smarter for sure. Surgery changes everything.....

[UK Girl !]

marksetgo0

see ya here when you have a new knee then! - cannot believe you dont wanna look after that knee - trust me when you get to the pain you get when u need a tkr you will wish you had taken the advice ! - and the pain post op is also another huge hurdle !

[60schld]

I ran long distance ( and loved it!) for 29 years.  In 2006, it became too painful (worn or torn lateral
meniscus) and my OA is very mild.  The day I got that diagnosis, I walked out of my OS's office and
switched to swimming.  Knee replacements scare me and are definitely the last resort.  If you get there
remember, they will shave, grind or whatever, the ends of the two leg bones to fit this prothesis-- there
will be NO GOING BACK!  Your bones will never be the same.  People who do this, usually have a hard
time walking 10 steps!!  For them this is a GREAT improvement.  You are only worried about your
exercise, training.  Better start thinking about living pain free!! I don't know how old you are, but we
all get there (if we are lucky) someday and your knees will thank you!   Having read more of this post
I just want to add that no matter what exercise you do, keep your knees in mind.  Good luck!

[Quinkin]

The old saying goes use it or lose it.

If you don't keep your quads and glutes strong with some form of exercise your knees will not thank you. Walking, cycling, and running are exercises that strengthen muscles, gets the blood flowing into the joints, gets healing endorphins pumping around the system. 

I've had a maltracking patella for 3 years due to biomechanical deficiencies. Finally I got these issues sotred with cusotm made orthotics, knee taping, stretches and exercises. My quads are getting strong. I will get my quads strong and then see what is possble.

Apparently I have early osteoarthritis. What 45 year doesn't have some wear and tear?

Becoming an overweight slob and going away to lie and die in a corner, because, woe is me, I have some osteoarthritis is not for me.

No I'm going to continue to work my butt off getting my muscles strong by waliking, cycling, swimming, running, pool running. When I had difficulty wlaking I taught myself to swim.

I ran 17km this week, and cylcled 40 kilometres, I raced 5km kilometres with no pain. I ran 6km in 27:17 with no pain. I've done nealry two hours physio every day for two years.  The more I exercise the stronger I get the less pain I feel.

I swear by McConnell taping and exercises. My physio said I would be able to run up to 5km. I know that if I continue to work hard I WILL be able to do more.

Whatever you do keep fighting, never give up.

See you at the start line.

[thevoice]

good on you mate, keep up the active lifestyle, its refreshing to hear people making the most of things and not letting things get in the way.

[RunningMan]

You know, there are very reliable studies that show running does not cause arthritis.

If a runner of 30 years finally develops arthritis, many of you blame it on the running.

What about the person who had never run, yet remains fit, and still develops arthritis.

What do you blame it on then? You simply can't say that just because someone runs and gets arthritis later in life that the two were related.

[runlolarun]

Hi,

I'm with Quinkin and RunningMan.  I have osteoarthritis in my right knee, and I run about 20 miles per week, without any problems.  I also do lots of core, quad, adductor and abductor strengthening exercises, and I've started to have prolotherapy and PRP injections (see long thread under "Injections to the Joint," where people have posted their PRP/prolo experiences.).  My arthritis is probably due to several bad injuries I had in my 20s, and may also be genetic (my father had it).

When my sports dr. first diagnosed the arthritis (in 2006), he told me I could continue to run, just not long distances.  He suggested I try triathlons, which I did.  During 2007 and 2008, i did several sprint tris.  Oddly, I found my knees felt better when I ran than when I biked, so since then I've pretty much kept to a running schedule. 

I know all the incendiary press about arthritis and running.  I also know that, as RunningMan says, there have been a lot of recent studies saying that running does not cause arthritis.  Apparently there are also recent findings that say that running does not even *worsen* arthritis in those who have it.  My dr. told me of a study which followed a number of people, runners and nonrunners, over a 10 year period.  People developed arthritis randomly, but the odd thing was, in the runners, there was no change in the arthritis over the period, while in the nonrunners it got worse.  Ok, this is hearsay...I don't know and haven't read the study.  But my own experience leads me to have some faith in it. 

One last note.  My father, as I said above, had arthritis in both knees so bad that he couldn't even straighten them.  Man walked permanently bent kneed.  He "treated" it by wearing a copper bracelet.  He played singles tennis extremely well and with no pain until he had a heart attack (the heart attack took him out of commission for a while, and then he played doubles).  So, as Quinkin says "use it or lose it." 

I guess my point is: do your own cost/benefit analysis and figure out what's important to you.  If running is important to you (it is to me, it is pretty much the only thing that keeps me sane), then find out what you need to know to keep going. 

[mmrocker13]

Find out how big your lesions are, and if there's any way to treat them. Get a surgeon who works with runners.

I ran for years and years on lateral compartment OA. Everyone's case is different, and I'd get a few opinions before you hang up your shoes. I am headed for a DFO this winter, and will probably run limited mileage after that, once it heals.

[Mike_A]

Figured I'd throw a post in here... I'm 32 years old and have been dealing with OA in both knees now since my early 20's.  I still look fairly athletic and in shape (upper body at least) but my legs are in terrible condition.  I fell into the trap of completely giving up on exercising my legs for the most part (except some stiff legged deadlifts) and just concentrating on my upper body.  But my knees have continued to get worse and worse to the point where I began to panic recently and decided to take drastic measures.  I know running is a big no no for oa but I decided to use contrarian thinking and hope that with some jogging every morning my knees would actually improve.  So I've gone out running every morning for the last 5 or 6 days... my route takes me about 25 minutes (I walk certain parts of it) and is pretty hilly (both up and down).  So after less than a week of this my left knee is so swollen I can't really distinguish my knee cap from my leg.  Anyways, I'm not going out running tomorrow and I'm gonna look for some indoor cardio instead (stationary bike or rowing machine).  I was gonna do a month of jogging and then check the results but my knees are KILLING me after less than a week... brutal.

[mmrocker13]

Figured I'd throw a post in here... I'm 32 years old and have been dealing with OA in both knees now since my early 20's.  I still look fairly athletic and in shape (upper body at least) but my legs are in terrible condition.  I fell into the trap of completely giving up on exercising my legs for the most part (except some stiff legged deadlifts) and just concentrating on my upper body.  But my knees have continued to get worse and worse to the point where I began to panic recently and decided to take drastic measures.  I know running is a big no no for oa but I decided to use contrarian thinking and hope that with some jogging every morning my knees would actually improve.  So I've gone out running every morning for the last 5 or 6 days... my route takes me about 25 minutes (I walk certain parts of it) and is pretty hilly (both up and down).  So after less than a week of this my left knee is so swollen I can't really distinguish my knee cap from my leg.  Anyways, I'm not going out running tomorrow and I'm gonna look for some indoor cardio instead (stationary bike or rowing machine).  I was gonna do a month of jogging and then check the results but my knees are KILLING me after less than a week... brutal.

You're doing WAY too much, too soon, no matter what kind of knees you have. If you wanted to start running, start with 5 minutes walk/1 minute run for 20-25, every other day. GRADUALLY build up the run portion. And stay off the ocncrete.

[Mike_A]

Figured I'd throw a post in here... I'm 32 years old and have been dealing with OA in both knees now since my early 20's.  I still look fairly athletic and in shape (upper body at least) but my legs are in terrible condition.  I fell into the trap of completely giving up on exercising my legs for the most part (except some stiff legged deadlifts) and just concentrating on my upper body.  But my knees have continued to get worse and worse to the point where I began to panic recently and decided to take drastic measures.  I know running is a big no no for oa but I decided to use contrarian thinking and hope that with some jogging every morning my knees would actually improve.  So I've gone out running every morning for the last 5 or 6 days... my route takes me about 25 minutes (I walk certain parts of it) and is pretty hilly (both up and down).  So after less than a week of this my left knee is so swollen I can't really distinguish my knee cap from my leg.  Anyways, I'm not going out running tomorrow and I'm gonna look for some indoor cardio instead (stationary bike or rowing machine).  I was gonna do a month of jogging and then check the results but my knees are KILLING me after less than a week... brutal.

You're doing WAY too much, too soon, no matter what kind of knees you have. If you wanted to start running, start with 5 minutes walk/1 minute run for 20-25, every other day. GRADUALLY build up the run portion. And stay off the ocncrete.

No doubt I over did it bigtime... I'm paying for it right now by hobbling around all day.  I'm gonna switch up to riding my bike, I gotta face the facts that I can't run anymore... my knees can't take it.

[mmrocker13]

Figured I'd throw a post in here... I'm 32 years old and have been dealing with OA in both knees now since my early 20's.  I still look fairly athletic and in shape (upper body at least) but my legs are in terrible condition.  I fell into the trap of completely giving up on exercising my legs for the most part (except some stiff legged deadlifts) and just concentrating on my upper body.  But my knees have continued to get worse and worse to the point where I began to panic recently and decided to take drastic measures.  I know running is a big no no for oa but I decided to use contrarian thinking and hope that with some jogging every morning my knees would actually improve.  So I've gone out running every morning for the last 5 or 6 days... my route takes me about 25 minutes (I walk certain parts of it) and is pretty hilly (both up and down).  So after less than a week of this my left knee is so swollen I can't really distinguish my knee cap from my leg.  Anyways, I'm not going out running tomorrow and I'm gonna look for some indoor cardio instead (stationary bike or rowing machine).  I was gonna do a month of jogging and then check the results but my knees are KILLING me after less than a week... brutal.

You're doing WAY too much, too soon, no matter what kind of knees you have. If you wanted to start running, start with 5 minutes walk/1 minute run for 20-25, every other day. GRADUALLY build up the run portion. And stay off the ocncrete.

No doubt I over did it bigtime... I'm paying for it right now by hobbling around all day.  I'm gonna switch up to riding my bike, I gotta face the facts that I can't run anymore... my knees can't take it.

I don't know that that's 100% true--it certainly is possible to run with OA. But you do need to be smart about it. If you really enjoy it, there are ways to get some running in w/out hurting yourself :-) OTOH, if you don't care, and it doesn't matter that much...don't sweat it.

[Lottiefox]

Just to add my views....I have always avoided running despite doing lots of others gym work and sports and classes. Last year I started running - nothing major - was aiming for a 5k in a decentish time and I built up my times and distances very very gradually. If possible I ran on tracks or cinder surfaces. All was going fine, I started to add in some hill work and some hill sprints. I realised I was never going to be super fast but my stamina was coming on in leaps and bounds and my legs were stronger. In August my right knee started niggling. By October it was swollen, painful and not right. PT diagnosed a maltracking patella and I started exercises to develop the VMO etc. Late October = meltdown. MRI showed worn lateral patella, OCD lesion on medial femur and early OA changes in medial and PF joint. I'm 40, always been fit and active, slim and consider myself healthy.

Basically I too fell into the trap of leaving lower body exercises apart from the odd quad contraction. Worked my upper body like mad, and lo and behold the knee got worse. Sod this - I went back to indoor biking and spinning, X-trainer, leg press with light weights and LOADS of balance work on the Bosu board and power plate. 3 months in to this new regime and things have settled. I will probably need surgery (see my OS on Monday after extensive scans and CT tracking scans for patella) but doing nothing with my legs just made them so much worse. I know now you must keep using the lower body to keep the knee moving.

Will I run again? No, never. I might be able to, in physical terms (although I run like a drunken chicken at the moment) but it will just stress my already tired knee compartments out. I know my knees have been creaky for years but last summer I pushed them over the edge. I neglected the fact I have poor alignment and that orthotics really didn't stop the damage (I'm too far wonky for them to correct all the problems) and hadn't realised that my wobbly butt and weak inner quads were doing nothing to support my knee. If I can get back to the odd bit of impact work I will be happy and might risk it, but generally I want to look after what bits of cartilage I have left. If I go for ACI (which is probably what will be recommended) I will do everything I can to look after my precious new cartilage.

Mike I hope your knee settles down. Ice ice ice ice ice and elevate and ice and rest and ICE!! You might need a course of stronger NSAIDs as I did last year when my knee blew up after too much running. Just gets a handle back on the swelling.

Lottie