Exercise Posts

Marathon runners may not be at greater risk for developing arthritis.
The New York Times (10/13, Reynold) "Well" blog reported, "The idea that distance running inexorably leads to arthritis is deeply entrenched, despite the publication of a number of recent studies (detailed in a Phys Ed column last year) that have found otherwise." One study in particular found, through the use of "more sensitive type of MRI technology than had been available in the past," evidence of "significant biochemical changes in the runners' knee cartilage, particularly in the days immediately after the race." But one expert points out that "adaptive transformations may underlie the cartilage changes visible in the UCSF marathon study." In other words, says Anthony Luke, MD, "the same signals on an MRI that would suggest incipient arthritis in a sedentary person's knee 'may indicate some kind of necessary adaptation' in the knees of a marathoner."

Walking may help maintain memory, cognitive function.
The Los Angeles Times (10/13) "Booster Shots" blog reported, "Walking promotes good physical health, but it may also help maintain memory and cognitive function for years," a study finds. The research, "published online Wednesday in the journal Neurology, is based on a study of 299 men and women, average age 78, who were followed for nine years."