Scientists from Brigham Young University in the USA found that pro-inflammatory molecules actually go down in the knee joint after running.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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They measured inflammation markers in extracted synovial fluid from the\u00a0knee joint of several healthy men and women, aged 18-35, both before and after running. The results showed these markers, two cytokines named GM-CSF and IL-15, decreased in concentration in the subjects after 30 minutes of running. When the same fluids were extracted before and after a non-running condition, the inflammation markers stayed at similar levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt flies in the face of intuition,\u201d said study co author Matt Seeley, associate professor of exercise science at BYU. \u201cThis idea that long-distance running is bad for your knees might be a myth.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we now know is that for young, healthy individuals, exercise creates an anti-inflammatory environment that may be beneficial in terms of long-term joint health,\u201d said study lead author Robert Hyldahl, BYU assistant professor of exercise science.<\/p>\n
Hyldahl said the study results indicate running is chondroprotective, which means exercise may help delay the onset of joint degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis.<\/p>\n
This is potentially great news, since osteoarthritis \u2013 the painful disease where cartilage at the end of bones wears down and gradually worsens over time \u2014 affects about 27 million people in the United States.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cThis study does not indicate that distance runners are any more likely to get osteoarthritis than any other person,\u201d Seeley said. \u201cInstead, this study suggests exercise can be a type of medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n
The study was published in the\u00a0European Journal of Applied Physiology<\/em><\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n More sports science news<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n New research into recovery might hold key to performance success
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