Today’s daily news email from Runner’s World discusses a topic I hear mentioned a lot.
The subject: Does Running Cause ‘Irreparable Damage’?
Anyone who runs has probably heard these sentiments from well-meaning friends countless times:
“Running is bad for your knees”
“Running is hard on your joints”
“You won’t be able to walk when you’re old”
“You shouldn’t run so much, it’s not healthy”
“You shouldn’t run so far, it’s not healthy”
“You’re obviously injured because running is bad for you, not because you weren’t smart about it“
Basically, the Sports Doc states what most runners already know…there is no solid research to support that running causes damage to knees.
Running isn’t bad for you. It’s how you participate that determines whether you hurt yourself.
If you don’t take care of yourself (“pre-hab” is my favorite term!), you might get injured. If you don’t take care of an injury, you might have problems down the road. If you don’t pay attention to body signals, don’t warm-up, don’t rest, don’t strengthen, you might get hurt. IF YOU DON’T do these things…you might have problems.
Like any sport: this article in the New York Times discusses “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body”.
It basically says that if you do it wrong, you can hurt yourself. But, again, that’s relevant to any sport, running included. If you try to do something (especially exercise related) and you don’t have proper guidance, form, strength, etc…yes, it’s risky.
It’s easy for someone, even a doctor, to tell you to stop running. Oftentimes it’s the first thing you’re told to stop doing if you have any sort of issue. Yes, rest is good. Rehab is good. Doctors are ridiculously smart. But when someone goes so far as to automatically say “stop running FOREVER” without looking deeper into the situation, I don’t like that.
Just because I want to run in rain or in snow, early in the morning or late at night, long distances, on a Saturday morning, on vacation, when I don’t really “want” to but do because I’m training, in cold weather, or during happy hour (not at all the same time, ha!) doesn’t mean I’m crazy, insane, “addicted to exercise” or mentally unstable. I’m just passionate. I know when to rest and when to push myself.
Just because we make people take pictures of us fake running doesn't mean we're crazy...right?
Try reading this article regarding research that’s been done on this very topic. Dr. Chang thinks running can help make cartilage stronger:
“Jonathan Chang, an orthopedic surgeon in Alhambra, Calif., says that exercise appears to stimulate cartilage to repair to minor damage. It could be that the impact of body weight when the foot hits the ground increases production of certain proteins in the cartilage that make it stronger, he says. This is similar to the way exercise, in particular weight-bearing exercise like jogging, increases bone and muscle mass.”
Or, for another bloggers opinion, I love this post from The Runner’s Kitchen.
I will leave you with these lovely YouTube clips:
Enjoy!
Has anyone told you to stop running? Do people comment on your running habits? Have your knees fallen off yet? Tell me!
I’ve definitely had people to tell me to watch out for my knees. But both my parents are still running (and my dad is still kicking my butt!!!) in their 50s, so I like my genetic odds!!!!!!!
That’s awesome-your parents are inspirational! My Dad is big into biking (have you heard of Ragbrai in Iowa? He does that sort of thing). Even though it’s not running I like my odds too
I have a very sedentary neighbor who loves to go on about the long-term damage of running. Kills me–she knows this why? I just ignore her. Now maybe I’ll carry one of these studies around with me to show her next time!
It tends to be people who are sedentary, doesn’t it? No endorphins to make them all excited and happy I guess?! haha! I always joke that I want to print these studies out and carry them around with me just in case the topic comes up.
My boyfriend’s step-mom is always telling me how bad running is for your joints. Her proof: her 78 year old boss has done multiple marathons, triathlons, and obstacle-style races and he recently had his hip replaced. She said its because of all the running. I just want to point out to her that maybe its because he’s 78. He’s probably the most in shape 78 year I’ve ever seen so I don’t see how she can say that running is bad for you…
Haha, YES, perhaps being 78 has something to do with it! I’d rather be an in-shape 78 year old with a hip replacement than an out of shape, unhealthy 78 year old who can’t even walk because of the long-time lack of use of those muscles. Some people have different priorities I guess!
yeah, my bestie is not a runner. she told me it wasnt healthy to run a marathon 3 years in a row. year 3 i did get hurt… but not because of running. i tore my meniscus lifting a box while moving. case in point that running doesn’t hurt you… being an idiot does
Oh noooo that sounds horrible! I’ve found that if you’re a runner, people usually assume that running is the cause of any injury. Not always the case! I’m extremely clumsy and that tends to be the problem for me, haha