Running and Cardiac Arrest, Arthritis

It’s been established and accepted that exercise, and more specifically running, is good for us and our overall health. Conversely, most people agree that too much of anything (this too includes running) can have harmful effects on our well-being. Somewhere in between lies a lot of nuances around the science of running and how it applies to our bodies, and at times that can be difficult to unpack and fully understand. That said, from time to time I’ll look to provide some insight into what’s new and/or interesting in medical research related to running. This week, we’ll look at running and cardiac arrest and running and arthritis.

Running and Cardiac Arrest

A study in this month’s Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that the incidence of cardiac arrest during marathons and half marathons has remained relatively stable over the last couple of decades, even with more people completing those races by multiple magnitudes since the early 2000s. However, it should be pointed out that that the risk of death from cardiac arrest during a marathon or half marathon has cut in half, likely due to effective emergency action planning and access to defibrillators. Another interesting finding was that coronary artery disease, which is narrowing of the arteries that supply the heart due to a buildup of substances like fats and cholesterol, was the most common identified cause.

Running and Arthritis

A couple of years ago data emerged that running does not cause “wear and tear” arthritis to our hips and knees as previously thought. As headlines proclaimed the news, runners and running advocates rejoiced, but there were not many deep dives into the actual study and research manuscript.

The study was done by researchers at Northwestern University (which is where I went to medical school) and consisted of a detailed survey of runners registered for the 2019 and 2021 Chicago Marathon. The survey included of demographic details, running history, and hip and knee health information, and about 3800 folks completed it. Participants averaged 44 years of age, 15 years of running, 28 miles per week of running, a pace of 8:52 min/mile on training runs, and 9.5 completed marathons, though most were considered beginners who had run 5 marathons or less.

Years of running, weekly mileage, running pace, and the number of marathons completed were not found to increase the risk of hip/knee arthritis. 

Participant responses were analyzed to determine risk factors for pain and/or arthritis in the hip and/or knee. The prevalence of arthritis was low amongst the entire group.  Years of running, weekly mileage, running pace, and the number of marathons completed were not found to increase the risk of hip/knee arthritis. Conversely, a family history of hip/knee arthritis and increasing BMI both increased the risk of hip/knee arthritis, and a history of hip/knee surgery and a history of hip/knee surgery were risk factors for both pain and arthritis.

If you have questions or concerns about your heart health or your risk of arthritis, please reach out to your doctor for a patient-specific discussion.

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Kenneth G Poole, Jr, MD, is an internal medicine physician with a special interest in running. He is one of the team of Motion Experts TCM has gathered to help its subscribers and participants get the most out of their running. Instagram: @renaissance_doc; X: @KPooleMD