02 9252 5770

Book now

Request a call back

Chat to Us

We are Open and we are all vaccinated!
Sydney Physio Solutions
  • About Us
  • Services
    • Physiotherapy
    • Telehealth Appointments
    • Pilates / Online Exercise Classes
    • Sports Injury Treatment
    • Massage Therapy
    • Men’s Health Physiotherapy
    • Women’s Health Physiotherapy
  • Programs
    • Building Better Backs
    • Building Better Hips
    • Building Better Knees
  • Locations
    • Macquarie Street
    • Castlereagh Street
  • Benefits
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • Physiotherapy News
    • Press & Media
  • BOOK NOW
  • 02 9252 5770
  • About Us
  • Services
    • Physiotherapy
    • Telehealth Appointments
    • Pilates / Online Exercise Classes
    • Sports Injury Treatment
    • Massage Therapy
    • Men’s Health Physiotherapy
    • Women’s Health Physiotherapy
  • Programs
    • Building Better Backs
    • Building Better Hips
    • Building Better Knees
  • Locations
    • Macquarie Street
    • Castlereagh Street
  • Benefits
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • Physiotherapy News
    • Press & Media
  • BOOK NOW
  • 02 9252 5770

Home » Is running bad for your joints? How can you ease the joint load?

July 18, 2019  |  By Dr Brad McIntosh In BLOG

Is running bad for your joints? How can you ease the joint load?

Commslab_SPS_Physio

It’s a question we always get at Sydney Physio Solutions, so we’ve tried to summarise it for all the budding (and established) runners out there!

  1. The simple answer is no…sort of!  Provided you don’t have any joint injury or damage, there seems to be no evidence to support the idea that running is bad for you.  In fact, there’s some evidence that it’s good for your joints.  The problems come about when there is some existing injury in the joint…in this situation, we know that running can contribute to the wearing down of the joint’s cartilage.
  2. Running style changes can have a big impact on how you load your joints.
  3. There are a number of great studies into the biomechanics of running which look at a variable called ground reaction force.  This is the amount of force that the ground imparts on your foot and therefore your body as you run.  Remember Newtons laws?! For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
  4. Increasing your cadence, or the number of steps you take per minute, can help.  A lot of runners are running at somewhere around 160 or 165 steps per minute, sometimes even a bit lower.  If you can increase that to around 180, you’d be able to reduce that ground reaction force significantly. This can be achieved by shortening the stride-length, and speeding up the rate at which the legs go around, so you’re actually taking more steps but they’re shorter.
  5. Footwear would be another factor that has some impact on the forces through the joints, but it’s really hard to generalise on footwear because it depends on the person, their structures, their weaknesses and running style etc.

What role do supplements have in joint health? Do supplements help in running training? 

  1. There were a couple of really good research studies done that were published in 2015. One of them from Australia. They both showed that the remaining space in the knee joint didn’t narrow as much in the group receiving glucosamine and chondroitin supplements. This suggests there may be some protection of remaining cartilage  (Fransen et al, 2015).
  2. We therefore advise all of my patients with mild to moderate arthritis who want to remain active to get onto glucosamine and chondroitin as a dietary supplement and to continue taking it.

Author

Dr Brad McIntosh

Although he is one of the most experienced and sought after Doctors of Physiotherapy in Australia, Brad makes all his patients feel like they are #1.

He also leads his team of caring reception staff and expert physiotherapists with the same degree of passion, which is why Sydney Physio Solutions has built the outstanding reputation it has.

Managing Director BSc (ExSci) MPT (Physio) DPT (Physio) CSCS APAM MSMA

See author's posts

Share this:
Previous StoryThe 5-minute Cool-Down Guide Every Runner Must Do!
Next StoryHow do I keep fit and healthy this year?

Related Articles

  • Returning to sex and intimacy following birth
  • Leaking when running

Book Online

Make A Booking

ABOUT US

Sydney Physiotherapy Solutions is trusted for the knowledge and experience of it’s staff members. We have physiotherapists who are experts in specific areas of the body so if you are searching for a physiotherapist, see an expert, not a generalist.

We have two physiotherapy clinics in Sydney CBD. All our clinics are staffed by highly qualified and expert physiotherapists whose motivation is to find the cause of your problem & return you to pre-injury fitness as soon as possible.

CATEGORIES

ARCHIVES

Contact Form

    MACQUARIE STREET

    Sydney Physiotherapy Solutions
    Level 1, 139 Macquarie Street
    Sydney 2000
    Tel : 02 9252 5770
    Email : reception@ssop.com.au

    CASTLEREAGH STREET

    Sydney Physiotherapy Solutions
    Level 8, 155 Castlereagh Street
    Sydney 2000
    Tel : 02 9264 4153
    Email : castlereagh@ssop.com.au

     

    Australian PhysioTherapy Association
    cq5dam.thumbnail

    Copyright ©2022 sydneyphysiosolutions.com.au. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy

    Request a call back