Can marathon running actually help my knees?

The age old fable that running will "wear out" your knees has been long disproved. We have proven that a moderate amount of running can actually protect your knee cartilage and may prevent you from needed knee replacements later in life. But how will running long distance affect me if I am a novice runner? A study released last year researched first-time marathon runners and completed MRI's on their knees before they started training and after they finished their race. The results showed that the vast majority of people had damage to the knee joint pre-training and had significantly improved after completing the marathon! Some patella (knee cap) joint damage was increased, but without symptoms. This study shows what we have known for a long time - movement and load is imperative for joint health. Make an appointment with our experienced team of Physiotherapists for the management and/or rehabilitation of your knees.