Jogging vs walking

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Replies

  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    I'm a diabetic. As far as blood glucose control is concerned, running beats walking by a lot. I could run 5k and then go eat French fries with ketchup. Walking improves my glucose but not like that.

    However I have a current knee issue which is not letting me run. My issue is NOT ARTHRITIS caused by running. As someone has already posted, studies have found runners are less likely to have arthritis in their knees than non-runners, and a scan revealed my knees have zero arthritis. What I have is a ruptured Baker's cyst, a collection of synovial fluid behind the knee, which in my case was caused by stress due to a previous injury to my ACL decades ago. If I had known enough about Baker's cysts before it ruptured to have it drained and tended to, I would probably be running right now, but the rupture has really messed up my leg.

    If you have reason to be concerned, such as an old knee injury or knee pain, see a doctor first for an evaluation. Get good shoes and a stride evaluation from a running store. But don't be afraid to run, it's amazing how much fitter you will become. Walking, elliptical, cycling, are not even in the same ballpark as far as cardio fitness. My resting heart rate dropped from 60 to 48 when I started running, and I had been cycling and walking every day before that.
  • amfmmama
    amfmmama Posts: 1,420 Member
    are you walking on pavement? Or are you walking on trails? My orthopedic is fine with me running/hiking/walking on soft ground, but he says that walking on pavement, is not good for anyone.

    PS... he is the official orthopedist for the Boston Marathon.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    From age 17-35, I jogged 4 miles daily (1 hour). I was a normal weight and didn't have any knee problems. When I stopped jogging (due to change in career and city) I gained about 30 lbs. I would recommend not using the running for weightloss, but for enjoyment and/or fitness . It is a good way to burn calories, but make sure that you are aware of how to maintain without it. I realized that for years it kept my weight normal but I didn't know how to do that with just eating and other types of exercise that burn less. I would also recommend, as others have, to wait until you get close to a normal BMI. The impact can be too much stress on the knees if you are overweight.
  • amfmmama
    amfmmama Posts: 1,420 Member


    Please ask the official orthopedist if the spongy sole of shoes counteracts the hardness of pavement, to make it equivalent of walking on trails. :+1: [/quote]

    I did. I went to him to find out specifically what shoes I should be running in. I had a lifetime of issues with my ankle. His answer, it did not matter the shoe, the impact of pavement was not good for my ankles, and I should, when ever possible, avoid the impact and run/walk/hike on trails, or softer ground of some kind.

    But thanks for asking. My doctor is Lyle Micheli. Look him up. He's the guy that founded the pediatric sports medicine center of Boston Children's hospital, The Micheli Center.
  • mshidfar2018
    mshidfar2018 Posts: 12 Member
    walking is safer .brisk walking is great for losing weight if your diet is in check too.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    mph323 wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    urloved33 wrote: »
    Im a fan of walking - or power walking if you will...jogging for women is proven that it CAN be damaging to our lady parts. walking is not and its more energy efficient when it comes to weight loss.

    btw. congratulations to you. :)

    I wore lacy knickers on a long run once which caused chafing... that was damaging to my ladyparts :laugh:

    After 94km over the last two days I can confirm that gentleman parts are not immune.

    Please tell me you wore lacy knickers :o

    That really doesn't bear thinking about tbh.
  • juliamfu161
    juliamfu161 Posts: 41 Member
    If you're not used to running like I am, then I'd suggest the elliptical. I tried to run a while back, and it wasn't my knees that's the problem, it was my hips. For some reason they'd become super sore, and I'd have trouble bending down. This is with stretching too. If I don't stretch, then forget it, I won't be able to function that day. But now that I'm on the elliptical, I can go for an hour of exercising and not really feel that much pain. I get the regular muscle soreness instead of joint soreness which is good. I feel that if I get stronger on the elliptical I may go back to trying the running thing. Or maybe not. :)
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    urloved33 wrote: »
    Im a fan of walking - or power walking if you will...jogging for women is proven that it CAN be damaging to our lady parts. walking is not and its more energy efficient when it comes to weight loss.

    btw. congratulations to you. :)

    I wore lacy knickers on a long run once which caused chafing... that was damaging to my ladyparts :laugh:

    After 94km over the last two days I can confirm that gentleman parts are not immune.

    As a member of a running group, I feel like I overhear many more conversations concerning (temporary) damage to gentleman parts than I do lady parts. That's my n=1 anyway . . .
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    I walk because I prefer it. It is less likely to cause injury and it can help lose weight just as well as running.

    Walking isn't wimpy. Want more challenge? Hike. It's awesome.
  • Ck103084
    Ck103084 Posts: 139 Member
    And I got a fitbit. Maybe that'll inspire me more. :)
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    Ck103084 wrote: »
    And I got a fitbit. Maybe that'll inspire me more. :)

    If you're competitive with yourself, it will. They can be very motivating.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    zdyb23456 wrote: »
    maybe she's referring to running potentially causing saggy boobs??? but I'm pretty sure anyone who is going to run will wear a sports bra.

    That's what i was thinking. Running without a super tight sports bar is uncomfortable and painful and would probably not be good for the boobage area..
  • DragonHasTheSapphire
    DragonHasTheSapphire Posts: 184 Member
    For my treadmill workout, I start by walking 4.5mph, and increase all the way to 8-9 mph. Towards the end I go to 10, but that's usually the last 5 minutes. My feet and knees hurt sometimes, but that's due to injuries from the past and neglecting getting proper running shoes. I kinda got used to the pain to the point where it doesn't hurt anymore, the doctor just recommended resting days and a knee/ankle brace, and to not push myself too hard.
  • neversaynever_43
    neversaynever_43 Posts: 59 Member
    I honestly moved to running because I didn't have the time to walk. After 10 years of off and on I like both. If I'm tired I will walk. Mostly I run because I work full time and have 2 kids.

    I've only had one time where my knees hurt and I was bummed I couldn't run. Went to a different running store and got new shoes before I made a doctors appointment. New shoes took all the pain away and I've worn the same type of shoe ever since and no problems. So get good shoes!!!

    Also my lady parts are still intact. Good luck!
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,138 Member
    cleesus wrote: »
    Running can be terrible for your knees/legs if you do it wrong. You should look up running/knee problems.

    That being said I love running but just make sure you arent doing too much too soon and get the proper gear if you are going to be serious about it

    Running wrong or running in the wrong shoes can cause knee/leg issues/shin splints, etc.

    If you are serious about running I'd recommend getting fitted for running shoes at an actual running shoe store. They can analyze your gait and running pattern and recommend a good shoe. I did this and it was the best thing I did when I was running. I even got last years model on sale for 20% off!

    Also, taking it slow and easy is important. Speed will come as you do it more, just focus on moving without stopping and you'll get there. Nice thing is, you can do a 1 mile run in a lot less time than a 1 mile walk!

    Ooh, also... don't forget to warm up first (even a 5 minute walk will work) and do some stretching afterwards. Made a HUGE difference for me in avoiding issues and injuries.

    Good luck!
  • cleesus
    cleesus Posts: 87 Member
    briscogun wrote: »
    cleesus wrote: »
    Running can be terrible for your knees/legs if you do it wrong. You should look up running/knee problems.

    That being said I love running but just make sure you arent doing too much too soon and get the proper gear if you are going to be serious about it

    Running wrong or running in the wrong shoes can cause knee/leg issues/shin splints, etc.

    If you are serious about running I'd recommend getting fitted for running shoes at an actual running shoe store. They can analyze your gait and running pattern and recommend a good shoe. I did this and it was the best thing I did when I was running. I even got last years model on sale for 20% off!

    Also, taking it slow and easy is important. Speed will come as you do it more, just focus on moving without stopping and you'll get there. Nice thing is, you can do a 1 mile run in a lot less time than a 1 mile walk!

    Ooh, also... don't forget to warm up first (even a 5 minute walk will work) and do some stretching afterwards. Made a HUGE difference for me in avoiding issues and injuries.

    Good luck!

    To add to this, right now is a good time to gear a 20% off or more discount on a lot of running shoes since the new models will be coming out soon
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    I loved running but I have some arthritic problems that got worse while running and ended up with arthroscopic surgery to repair some tears and remove some "loose matter". I also got a picture of my arthritis, which was kind of weird. It looks like chalk marks on the end of the bones. Surgeon told me that I could run but it would exacerbate it. I have tried a few times, doig just a little at slow speed and I will have pain behind the knee cap when I use the stairs for several days afterward. So I walk. A *lot* recently; usually more than 5 miles a day. On light days, I usually will still do 5k. I walk at around 4 mph and pushed myself to average 4.4 mph for 5 miles. I rarely walk at less than 3.5.
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    I walk because I prefer it. It is less likely to cause injury and it can help lose weight just as well as running.
    "Half as well" would be more accurate. You'd have to cover about twice as much distance. It would also require more time, the exact amount depending on your running and walking speeds.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    I am a big fan of the Couch to 5K program. It's great and there are so many good apps. Personally I hate running outside. I have bad knees and the treadmill is better for me. Not quite as hard as running outdoors, but I get a great workout. I run/walk for 40 minutes, alternating every 4 minutes. (4 minute fast walk/4 minute job, etc)
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    Well you get more bang for your buck calorie wise from running. That’s why I prefer it. And also I enjoy going faster. It takes forever to get somewhere walking, when you jog you get there a little faster and it makes it a little more exciting. Although good shoes are important. I jacked my foot up trying to take up running wearing cheap Nike’s or whatever from DSW.
  • 0ysterboy
    0ysterboy Posts: 192 Member
    h1udd wrote: »
    I have recently taken up running ... everything hurts, except my knees. ...... but everything hurting is my own fault as my cardio vascular ability FAR FAR outweighs my running ability so I have started doing too much too soon and havent learnt when to and how much to back off .... my tips ..... do it, it eats calories and works your body hard .. but take it easy and start slowly increasing distance gradually .... dont do as I did and start running 10k straight out the block
    Yes, don't do that. Start out slowly, build up your muscle and cardio base. It takes time.

  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    Ck103084 wrote: »
    I've been walking, fast walking, but walking all the same (I'm currently at 2.1 miles a day, increasing it every few days). Should I maybe kick it up a notch and do some jogging. I've heard jogging is terrible for your knees and I really don't want knee issues when I'm finally in a good groove losing weight and feeling better. My Uncle used to jog a few miles a day and his knees are horrific. I know that doesn't mean it'll happen to me but yeah.

    So, jogging or walking. Opinions?

    Personally, I can't do either on hard pavement...but because of a foot issue, not my knees. Take it slow, there's no reason you should cut out jogging. There are plenty of things that are worse for your knees. The benefits far outweigh the cons.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    spartan_d wrote: »
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    I walk because I prefer it. It is less likely to cause injury and it can help lose weight just as well as running.
    "Half as well" would be more accurate. You'd have to cover about twice as much distance. It would also require more time, the exact amount depending on your running and walking speeds.

    I used to run at about 6 mph; I ran a half in 2:08:25, which is just a hair faster than 6 mph. I top out walking at 4.5 and can't keep that up more than a couple of miles, but I only have to drop the pace a little to get in the zone. I can go several miles at 4.2 mph. So only about 30% lower speed. That speed of walking is aerobic.
  • Vladimirnapkin
    Vladimirnapkin Posts: 299 Member
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    spartan_d wrote: »
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    I walk because I prefer it. It is less likely to cause injury and it can help lose weight just as well as running.
    "Half as well" would be more accurate. You'd have to cover about twice as much distance. It would also require more time, the exact amount depending on your running and walking speeds.

    I used to run at about 6 mph; I ran a half in 2:08:25, which is just a hair faster than 6 mph. I top out walking at 4.5 and can't keep that up more than a couple of miles, but I only have to drop the pace a little to get in the zone. I can go several miles at 4.2 mph. So only about 30% lower speed. That speed of walking is aerobic.

    We're getting way into the weeds here, but yes, everyone has a speed at which it is more economical (easier) to run than it is to walk. I can run >10 mph but struggle to walk >4mph! Competitive race walkers get way faster.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    Vladimirnapkin wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    spartan_d wrote: »
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    I walk because I prefer it. It is less likely to cause injury and it can help lose weight just as well as running.
    "Half as well" would be more accurate. You'd have to cover about twice as much distance. It would also require more time, the exact amount depending on your running and walking speeds.

    I used to run at about 6 mph; I ran a half in 2:08:25, which is just a hair faster than 6 mph. I top out walking at 4.5 and can't keep that up more than a couple of miles, but I only have to drop the pace a little to get in the zone. I can go several miles at 4.2 mph. So only about 30% lower speed. That speed of walking is aerobic.

    We're getting way into the weeds here, but yes, everyone has a speed at which it is more economical (easier) to run than it is to walk. I can run >10 mph but struggle to walk >4mph! Competitive race walkers get way faster.

    My last statement about it being aerobic may speak more to the comments I was replying to about how much better running is as an exercise. If the goal of running and/or walking is to burn as many calories as possible in a given amount of time, I think running is pretty much going to come out ahead but not by as much as a previous poster was suggesting. The mechanics of walking keep me from pushing myself quite as hard as I can running, but that might not be true for race walkers.

    I guess there is a little emotional response in there; I don't like statements that sound like running is a "real" exercise and walking is not.

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