You've probably heard that running is bad for your knees, but did you know that the opposite is true? Running is actually good for the cartilage in your knees and the discs in your back. Researchers from the Queen Mary University of London performed an experimental study on cow joints, and they wanted to see what happens when you mechanically load these joints over and over. What would this stimulus do to the cells? Mechanical loading of your joints actually suppresses the inflammatory response that any kind of injury might happen when you exercise hard. There are parts of the cells in your cartilage called the "primary cilia", and when these hair-like cilia are stretched and compressed, they release cell proteins that help with the healing process. Squishing your joints stimulates protein production for joint health, and reduces inflammatory chemicals. This makes perfect sense, though. Our bodies are made to move through over 100 years of life. We wear and we tear. If we broke down our cartilage caps on our knees through physical activity without any rebuilding process, we probably wouldn't make it though childhood without being crippled. We need to move. This study is looking at the effects of movement on your cartilage, but other studies have shown benefits of movement to the discs in your back, your muscle health, and your nervous system health. Every movement that you do, your nervous system receives signals that integrates all incoming information into an elevated state in your brain. Movement…