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Researchers believe that short-term acute kidney injury happens to marathon runners more frequently than tendinitis, runner's knee or a muscle pull but. The study by Dr. Chirag Parikh notes that this should not be a cause for alarm because the runner's body can cope pretty well.

The findings on the study of the short-term acute kidney injury that occurs in these long distance runners were published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases. They studied 22 runners in the 2015 Hartford Marathon and tested their urine samples a day prior to the run, after the race, and the day after. They examined the levels of creatinine, kidney cells and proteins in the urine and blood, the Today reported.

The samples analyzed showed that there was above average levels of the injury marker creatinine in almost all of the runners involved in the study. The data they collected showed that 82 percent of the sample population exhibited symptoms of at least stage one kidney injury, the CNN reported.

They also revealed that the samples showed similar levels of patients who have kidney-related complications from medications. But the researchers were also surprised that the levels of the markers went down the day after and returned to baseline levels after 48 hours.

What the researchers believe when short-term acute kidney injury occurs is that during the race, the blood is directed more to the muscles and the skin which results in the lower supply to other organs.

To prevent such an injury, doctors advise that if a person does strenuous exercise, the body should be well-hydrated and maintain glucose levels. Proper training also helps prevent negative effects of running on the body.

The researchers concede that the findings needed to be replicated in a larger sample size. They also needed to include other possible confounding factors such as length of time the subject has been running, or the body weight before and after the race.