Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent musculoskeletal condition among Canadians which can be responsible for persistent pain and activity limitations, and eventually decreased quality of life. Exercise therapy has been widely recognized as an efficient treatment modality for this condition. Even though activities involving impacts, such as running, may be beneficial in maintaining knee cartilage health of healthy young adults, it remains unclear whether knee cartilages would react the same to running at an older age, and in the presence of knee OA. In this research project, we will explore if knee cartilages of older healthy runners react the same to a bout of running as those of younger runners. A mechanistic approach will be combined to imaging techniques to study if cartilage measures are influenced by running mechanics. Then, we will compare the effects of running on knee cartilages measures of older people with and without OA. Such studies are much needed in order to clarify if impaired cartilage has the ability to adapt to loading just like healthy cartilage. If cartilages of older people with and without knee OA show a similar behaviour to healthy younger adults, longitudinal and intervention studies could be designed afterwards to explore the potential of running in the prevention and treatment of knee OA.