MRI Shows Joints Recover Even Under Extreme Duress

This article was sent to me by a patient who is a ultra runner.  Ultra running entails races from 50-100 miles and beyond!

Dr. Uwe Schutz performed MRI’s on ultra runners twice during the Trans Europe Foot race.  One MRI was towards the beginning of the race and then again later in the race.  The first MRI found changes: significant degradation (inflammation ) in cartilage.  The later MRI’s showed improved cartilage inflammation indicating the ankle and foot cartilage have the ability to regenerate under ongoing endurance running.

Pretty cool stuff.  The body is amazing.  One study is not the be all end all but it’s cool to see the body has the ability to repair it self even under extreme conditions.

Source:Schutz U, et al, “The TEFR Field Study: Results of Continuous Biochemical and Morphological Cartilage Analysis of Hindfoot, Ankle, and Knee Joints in Course of a 4,500 km Ultramarathon Race throughout Whole Europe Using T2*-mapping on a Mobile MRI Truck Trailer” RSNA 2015; Abstract SSC07-04.