Introduction
Knee arthrosis is a wear and tear disease of the knee joint, which is accompanied by damage to the joint cartilage. Although the disease mainly affects older people, knee arthrosis also occurs in younger, active individuals. In these cases, questions often arise as to how far the disease will restrict everyday life and sporting activity, or whether years of jogging can be responsible for the development of the disease, and whether regular jogging will allow the disease to progress.
Can jogging cause knee arthrosis?
Extensive jogging is seen by many people as the cause of the development of knee arthrosis. If there are no other diseases, such as a malposition of the legs, e.g. pronounced bow legs, or overweight, it is usually unlikely that jogging is responsible for the development of osteoarthritis. The human body, if the joint is correctly positioned, can resist the stresses and strains of normal jogging for a very long time and usually does not react with arthrosis of the joint.
Wearing the wrong shoes and accidents during sports can, however, lead to joint damage with subsequent early knee osteoarthritis. It is best to discuss with the treating physician on an individual basis whether jogging is advisable when knee arthrosis is present at the same time. As a rule, there is nothing to be said against jogging in the case of knee arthrosis if certain factors are taken into account.
For example, jogging in pain should be avoided and, if necessary, another form of exercise should be used. Furthermore, it is important to choose routes on which the ground is as soft as possible. A soft floor covering reduces the load that must be absorbed by the knee joint.
Wearing the right shoes can also reduce the stress on the knee joint during jogging. Heavy acceleration (sprinting) and especially frequent stops and stretches downhill should be avoided. After an operation, the treating physician can provide information on when training can be resumed and at what point partial or full loading can be resumed. If these restrictions are observed, jogging in the case of knee arthrosis is in most cases even beneficial for the healing process and can help to slow down the speed of progression of the disease.
