Is running every day bad for your knees?

Running has certain advantages among many sports methods. Many people are willing to choose running to exercise because running does not require a special venue or a specific time. It can be done anytime and anywhere. Many people have the habit of running every day, which should be said to be a good habit. However, if the running posture is incorrect, it may have adverse effects on the knees. Is daily running bad for your knees?

Any material will wear out under long-term stress. Aluminum alloys, rebar, concrete, and even the bones, menisci, ligaments, and muscles that make up the knee are no exception. If we look at it statically, long-term use of the knees will cause wear and tear, just like all materials and equipment will wear and age. But our bodies are not static devices that remain fixed from the moment they are created. It will change accordingly after being stimulated by the outside world. For example, calluses can form on fragile skin. Bones and muscles are no exception. Long-term exercise will make bones denser and muscles stronger. In other words, the more you exercise, the higher the wear resistance of your knees. However, when the wear and impact during running exceeds the capacity of skeletal muscles, or the increased intensity exceeds the growth rate of skeletal muscles, injuries will occur. If the muscles and bones are strong enough to withstand the wear and tear and impact, no injuries will occur.

Therefore, every time after a knee injury, the doctor's advice is to rest and not move; while some experienced runners suggest continuing to run, and there is also a saying that jogging can cure knee injuries. In fact, both statements are reasonable and one-sided. The key lies in how to control the wear and impact force and the degree of bone and muscle growth and recovery.

After knowing this basic principle, the way to avoid knee injuries from running is to reduce wear and impact and increase the strength of bones and muscles. Instead of not running, if you don't exercise for a long time, your muscles and bones will degenerate, and osteoporosis or slight impact will cause various injuries. At the same time, the lack of effective aerobic training will cause various problems in physiological functions such as cardiopulmonary capacity, resistance, and blood pressure. Therefore, you should never give up running simply because it may cause wear and tear on the knee joints. Any exercise can cause physical harm if done excessively or improperly.

It is commendable if you can insist on running every day for exercise. Under normal circumstances, running will not cause any harm to the knees. As long as you master the correct running posture, choose a pair of suitable running shoes, and determine the running amount according to your physical condition, there will be no problem.