Running could help keep your tendons healthy, new study says

Running may be good for your tendons, according to a new study out of the University of East Anglia funded by Arthritis Research UK.

Researchers used human Achilles tendon cells seeded in collagen gels, subjecting them to levels of strain experienced by human tendons to simulate moderately high exercise such as running. The team discovered that exercise decreases a group of enzymes called metalloproteinases that degrade tendon tissue and increase tendon protein.

“In this study we talk about moderately high exercise and we would consider running to be moderately high. But it’s important to remember that our research was carried out in the lab so to confirm this we would need to complete further clinical studies.”

Past studies have associated the onset of tendon disease with exercise, but this new study, published in the journal Molecular Cell Research, shows that running could actually have the opposite effect – guarding against and treating the often debilitating condition.

Tendon disease is the result of damage to a tendon at the cellular level and can result in symptoms such as chronic pain, inflammation, stiffness and reduced function.

“The onset of tendon disease has always been associated with exercise, however this association has not been fully understood,” said lead researcher Dr. Eleanor Jones from UEA’s school of Biological Sciences. “We have shown that moderate exercise has a positive effect on tendons. In this study we talk about moderately high exercise and we would consider running to be moderately high.”

But Jones cautions that the research was carried out in the lab, so clinical studies need to be done to confirm the findings.

The new findings also showed the ways in which the activation of the protein TGF-β (transforming growth factor beta) played a role in activating genes. With further research into this pathway, the scientists said they hope to find out more about how exercise is associated with tendon disease.