Running and Health

Dr. Bhavin Jankharia

Jankharia Imaging

No dearth of lay literature and books expounding the benefits of running

No dearth of lay literature and books expounding the benefits of running

Running strengthens your knees and other bones and joints

Running will keep you sharper as you age

http://www.runnersworld.com/health/6-ways-running-improves-your-health?page=single

No dearth of lay literature and books expounding the benefits of running

Data

What does the science say?

Running strengthens your knees and other bones and joints

Running improves bone mineral density

The Data

All Cause Mortality

Cardiovascular Mortality

Leisure-Time Running Reduces All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality Risk

Lee DC et al. JACC 2014;64:472

55137 adults, 18-100 years of age – mean age of 44 years

Mean follow-up of 15 years

24% of these adults were runners

Runners30% lower risk of all cause mortality45% lower risk of cardiovascular mortality3-years additional life expectancy benefit

Non-runners

This occurred with < 51 mins of running per week (5-10 mins /day)< 10 K / hr< 10 K / week1-2 times / week

The Scientific Literature

Cancer Risk

Cardiorespiratory fitness, lifestyle factors and cancer risk and mortality in Finnish men

Laukkanen J A et al. Eur J Cancer 2010;46:355

2268 men from Eastern Finland

Mean follow-up of 16.7 years

24% of these adults were runners

VO2 Max

Maximum O2 consumptionVO2 max of <26.9 ml/kg/min equals to running less than 1700 metres in 12 minutes for 30-39 years old men

Fit Men27% decreased cancer incidence37% reduced cancer mortality

Unfit Men – VO2 max of <26.9 mL/kg/min

This occurred essentially because of Reduced risk of lung cancer

A prospective study of cardiorespiratory fitness and breast cancer mortality

Peel J B et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009;41:742

14811 women in Texas

One time health checkup between 1970 to 2001

Evaluation of cardiorespiratory fitness using VO2 evaluation

Mortality evaluation in 2003

The Scientific Literature

The Knees

The Common Belief is that Running Damages the Knees

Changes on magnetic resonance tomography in the knee joints of marathon runners: a 10-year longitudinal study

Krampla WW et al. Skel Radiol 2008;37:619

8 people

7 long-distance runners, 1 who had given up running

MRI scans

RunnersNo long term consequence or damage

MRI of the knees at baseline and after 10 years

Non-RunnerProgression of degeneration

What Is the Effect of Physical Activity on the Knee Joint? A Systematic Review

Urquhart D et al. Med Sci Sports Exer 2011;43:432

Meta-analysis

28 studies

22 radiological and 6 MRI

16 longitudinal

Does Running Damage the KneeNo evidence

Knee

Does Running Strengthen The KneePossibly

The Scientific Literature

Running strengthens your knees and other bones and joints

Osteoporosis

Shuler F D et al. Understanding the Burden of Osteoporosis and Use of the World Health Organization FRAX. Orthopedics 2012;9:798

Shuler F D et al. Understanding the Burden of Osteoporosis and Use of the World Health Organization FRAX. Orthopedics 2012;9:798

The effect of moderate impact exercise on skeletal integrity in master athletes

Velez NF et al. Osteoporos Int 2008;19:1457

44 runners

43 swimmers

87 non-athletes

All over the age of 65

Runners and SwimmersTotal BMD was much higher in runners and swimmers as compared to controls

Bone Density

Runners versus SwimmersThe total BMD was more or less the sameHip and heel BMD were higher in runners

The effects of strengthening and high-impact exercises on bone metabolism and quality of life in

postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial

Basat H et al. J Back Musculoskel Rehabil 2013;26:427

42 post-menopausal women into 3 groups

Strengthening exercise

High impact exercise (running)

No exercise

High Impact ExerciseSignificant increase in BMD at 6 months as compared to the strengthening and control groups

Bone Density

Health Related Quality of Life QuestionnaireThis improved in both the exercise groups

Why Run?

Running strengthens your knees and other bones and joints

Running improves bone mineral density

The Scientific Literature

Get Up and Out and On Your Feet

Thank You