Distance Boosts Running Efficiency

Running is a popular type of endurance exercise, and a study from Liverpool John Moores University suggests runners who typically put in high mileage experience different benefits compared to active adults who run about one third of that distance. Findings were published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.
 
Researchers measured thigh muscle activity and calculated knee joint motion in runners with at least 6 months of experience who typically ran 9 miles a week or more than 27. They found that longer distance runners showed less thigh muscle activity, higher knee stiffness and spring like tendon action compared to shorter distance runners. The difference in muscle activity increased with speed. This might reduce energy expenditure with faster running.