Is Running Really Bad For You?
Replies
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Poor training is not the fault of the activity.
Word.
Plus... people who are physically active are of course going to be at risk for injury, just like people who ride or drive in automobiles are more prone to car accidents than a shut-in who never leaves the house.
Right. I just think that someone coming from a sedentary lifestyle, who doesn't yet know their ability, should maybe think about choosing a sport with a lower incidence of injury:
http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/0123-common-sports-injuries.htm
About 85 per cent of elite and recreational badminton players (!) are injured during an average year, 65 per cent of regular runners are hit by the injury bug, and 21 percent of walkers are afflicted (by definition, an 'injury' is a physical problem severe enough to force a reduction in training).
When injury rates are expressed per hour of activity, risk of injury can be ranked by sport. Not surprisingly, such rankings show that sports like rugby and lacrosse produce the most mayhem, with about 30 injuries per 1000 hours of activity (rates above 5 per 1000 hours are considered high). Basketball and squash are also problem producers, with around 14 injuries per 1000 hours. Running and high-intensity aerobic dance follow fairly closely, with 11 injuries per 1000 hours (or about one per 100 hours).
A variety of other sports are ranked below, with the number of injuries per 1000 hours of activity in parentheses ('Injuries in Recreational Adult Fitness Activities,' The American Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 21 (3), pp. 461-467, 1993).
1. Alpine skiing (8)
2. Rowing machine exercise (6)
3. Treadmill walking or jogging (6)
4. Tennis (5)
5. Dancing classes (5)
6. Resistance training with weight machines (4)
7. Resistance training with free weights (4)
8. Outdoor cycling (3.5)
9. Stationary cycle exercise (2)
10. Stair climbing (2)
11. Walking (2)0 -
Plus... people who are physically active are of course going to be at risk for injury, just like people who ride or drive in automobiles are more prone to car accidents than a shut-in who never leaves the house.
This. Also, the study only used club runners--these are serious people pushing themselves, whether to run long, fast, or both. The OP wants to know is running safe, in general: Yes. I get a lot more injuries when I am running marathon distance than when I am just running for joy and sanity, but even these could probably be managed or avoided if I were more conscientious with foam rolling, stretching, warming up longer, etc.
Ok, yes, ideally, everyone would be doing that, but the REALITY is most people don't. Most people get injured. The stat above is 65% of **recreational** runners. That is what happens with running, as it is likely to be practised by most people.
It's probably obvious that I'm in that 65%, and am still pissed that I now can't do a crapton of things I would really love to be able to do with my new body/life. And yeah, I would like others to maybe not experience the same thing.
Lol. Off soapbox now, as you were
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I feel like you're really on the warpath here. Like you previously said, most of the risk is because of poorly designed training, or a lack of education about injury prevention protocol. I don't know why you're assuming that because the OP is new to the sport and overweight, that she is unable to educate herself and figure out how to participate in the sport safely. She has posed the question here, which indicates to me that she's willing to learn and try to do it right. Being out of shape is NOT a reason to be scared of a sport, it's a reason to proceed with caution. I feel like you're trying to scare the OP away from a sport that can be really healthy and fulfilling! There are TONS of overweight runners here and in the real world. I think you need to cool your jets a bit here.Poor training is not the fault of the activity.
Word.
Plus... people who are physically active are of course going to be at risk for injury, just like people who ride or drive in automobiles are more prone to car accidents than a shut-in who never leaves the house.
Right. I just think that someone coming from a sedentary lifestyle, who doesn't yet know their ability, should maybe think about choosing a sport with a lower incidence of injury:
http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/0123-common-sports-injuries.htm
About 85 per cent of elite and recreational badminton players (!) are injured during an average year, 65 per cent of regular runners are hit by the injury bug, and 21 percent of walkers are afflicted (by definition, an 'injury' is a physical problem severe enough to force a reduction in training).
When injury rates are expressed per hour of activity, risk of injury can be ranked by sport. Not surprisingly, such rankings show that sports like rugby and lacrosse produce the most mayhem, with about 30 injuries per 1000 hours of activity (rates above 5 per 1000 hours are considered high). Basketball and squash are also problem producers, with around 14 injuries per 1000 hours. Running and high-intensity aerobic dance follow fairly closely, with 11 injuries per 1000 hours (or about one per 100 hours).
A variety of other sports are ranked below, with the number of injuries per 1000 hours of activity in parentheses ('Injuries in Recreational Adult Fitness Activities,' The American Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 21 (3), pp. 461-467, 1993).
1. Alpine skiing (8)
2. Rowing machine exercise (6)
3. Treadmill walking or jogging (6)
4. Tennis (5)
5. Dancing classes (5)
6. Resistance training with weight machines (4)
7. Resistance training with free weights (4)
8. Outdoor cycling (3.5)
9. Stationary cycle exercise (2)
10. Stair climbing (2)
11. Walking (2)0 -
Whatever the reason for the problem, 65% of all recreational runners experience injury. Caution is probably a good idea. I didn't say, 'don't do it'.
I'm not assuming anything about the OP, other than that she is not a runner - sorry, she's a beginning runner.
Also, OP asked about risk & running, specifically. It's great that everyone here has had good experiences. I don't begrudge anyone that! But those are anecdotal. The stats give a fuller picture.0 -
The stats give a fuller picture.There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.0
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What percentage of people, just plain jive old people, experience injury? I almost broke my foot making my bed. Wrenched my back so many times... once spectacularly while cleaning up cat vomit. Injured my knee carrying a dead dog while working at the vets. Slipped on ice and fell down my back porch steps, twice exactly two weeks apart. Re-injured a sprained wrist because I didn't slow down enough when pushing open a hospital door. Got a nifty Harry-Potter-esque scar on my forehead from walking into a birdfeeder hanging in my tree. Can't remember all the times I've twisted an ankle or knee or had any number of joints dislocate.
So... yeah, I had a stress fracture after a year of running. Considering how accident prone I was before joining here, having only one overuse injury in the two years I've been active and athletic is really frickin' amazing to me. :laugh:0 -
What percentage of people, just plain jive old people, experience injury? I almost broke my foot making my bed. Wrenched my back so many times... once spectacularly while cleaning up cat vomit. Injured my knee carrying a dead dog while working at the vets. Slipped on ice and fell down my back porch steps, twice exactly two weeks apart. Re-injured a sprained wrist because I didn't slow down enough when pushing open a hospital door. Got a nifty Harry-Potter-esque scar on my forehead from walking into a birdfeeder hanging in my tree. Can't remember all the times I've twisted an ankle or knee or had any number of joints dislocate.
So... yeah, I had a stress fracture after a year of running. Considering how accident prone I was before joining here, having only one overuse injury in the two years I've been active and athletic is really frickin' amazing to me. :laugh:
I want to get out, but you keep pulling me back in, lol!
Life is dangerous anyway, no risk no reward, true true! (Also, sorry, that is terrible luck
)
OP asked about running, though.
I too feel MUCH better - sharper, more energetic; better as a person sort of generally - now that fitness is part of my life. I loved running for the while I did it. Which makes the limitations I've got now doubly frustrating.
As for the stats, of course they can be and are regularly manipulated. What that means to me is that if you're interested, you read the study, and assess its design*. It's not all junk, or opinion. At the very least it offers an interesting starting point for maybe a different question.
(*I didn't do that here, but you're of course welcome to check any of those links out further if you wish.)0 -
Running is not bad for you. Running is the best thing anyone could ever do for themselves. I worship at the altar of running. Make sure you have good form and be aware of the forces you are placing on your joints. Watch some videos about proper running technique on youtube and go from there, that's what I did. It was difficult at first but now the mid-foot strike is natural for me and I don't raise my knees anymore. I just don't think about it. The next most important thing is get yourself a pair of shoes that are right for your feet and gait. The best way to do it is to go to a local running shop with knowledgeable people who will actually analyze your gait in some way. I am an overpronator so I use shoes with some support, currently the Asics 1170. Ask your doctor before you start any new exercise program especially if you have health problems. Good luck and get out there and run!0
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Another thing to consider ... alternating with another activity to minimize the wear and tear on the body by performing different types of exercise - cross training.
Weight training, kickboxing, canoeing, etc. Find something else you enjoy doing, and intersperse your running with that other activity. Your body will be healthier by experiencing different types of strain, rather than the same type over and over and over.
I'm much healthier and less injury prone with cross training than I ever was as a single activity "athlete."0 -
Running is terrible for you and should be avoided at all costs!
It leads to chronic awesomeness! But it will make your uterus fall out...
and it made me fat too......:laugh: :laugh:About 85 per cent of elite and recreational badminton players (!) are injured during an average year, 65 per cent of regular runners are hit by the injury bug, and 21 percent of walkers are afflicted (by definition, an 'injury' is a physical problem severe enough to force a reduction in training).
I have a bit of a problem with the definition of injury being used - it's pretty vague. Think about it, if I pull a hamstring and cut back on my volume for a couple of weeks I'm injured. As Carson aptly pointed out....there are lies, damn lies and statistics.0 -
Exactly!
I love to run but have OA arthritis in my knees and lupus so, not exactly running friendly joints. All my friends still run-listen to your body, build up slowly and cross train to be strong everywhere! Keep it up if you love it.0 -
If you don't stretch, wear proper footwear, learn to have proper form and stride,yes, it can be "bad" for you, bad being a relative term. Like anything you have to prepare correctly for it or you can injure yourself. Use common sense when training. If it hurts stop, if it feels uncomfortable re-evaluate your body position and how your foot is striking the pavement.
If it's what you want to do, don't let your trainer deter you from doing it, but also educate yourself about how to run properly to avoid proving your trainer right about injury.0 -
Idk. For those who've run without injury, great!. But:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3578639
Sixty runners belonging to two clubs were followed for 1 year with regard to training and injury. There were 55 injuries in 39 athletes. The injury rate per 1,000 hours of training was 2.5 in long-distance/marathon runners and 5.6 to 5.8 in sprinters and middle-distance runners. There were significant differences in the injury rate in different periods of the 12 month study, the highest rates occurring in spring and summer. In marathon runners there was a significant correlation between the injury rate during any 1 month and the distance covered during the preceding month (r = 0.59). In a retrospective analysis of the cause of injury, a training error alone or in combination with other factors was the most common injury-provoking factor (72%). The injury pattern varied among the three groups of runners: hamstring strain and tendinitis were most common in sprinters, backache and hip problems were most common in middle-distance runners, and foot problems were most common in marathon runners.
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FIFTY FIVE injuries in 39 runners.
This one, from 2007:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17473005
The purpose of this study was to present a systematic overview of published reports on the incidence and associated potential risk factors of lower extremity running injuries in long distance runners. An electronic database search was conducted using the PubMed-Medline database. Two observers independently assessed the quality of the studies and a best evidence synthesis was used to summarise the results. The incidence of lower extremity running injuries ranged from 19.4% to 79.3%. The predominant site of these injuries was the knee. There was strong evidence that a long training distance per week in male runners and a history of previous injuries were risk factors for injuries, and that an increase in training distance per week was a protective factor for knee injuries.
Just saying: be careful!!!
Study one is based on club runners that specialize in a particular competitive distance. 2.5 injuries per 1000 hours of running for the distance runners. 1000 hours of running is a crap load of miles. I run a fair amount and will not come close to that in a year. The study abstract the link goes to also does not indicate any prevalence of chronic joint injury and in fact notes mostly soft tissue injuries (foot problems, backache, hip issues).
Study two is really a study of studies, it found 3 very limited conclusions, the first is that, for men only, running a large number of miles per week is a risk factor and having a history of previous injury is a risk factor. It also found that increasing distance per week is a protective factor. Or, for the boys, too much too soon is bad, having an injury history is bad, but building slowly over time is good.
For the OP, neither of these studies really applies, the injury correlation is related to very high mileage runners (study 1) and potentially only male endurance runners (study 2), the only exception being that building mileage weekly over time is a good way to reduce injury risk (study 2)
Sucks to be injured, and the points on building slowly, not pushing through injury etc... are good, but running is not bad for you, running badly (too much, too soon / over striding / not warming up...) is bad for you.0 -
About 85 per cent of elite and recreational badminton players (!) are injured during an average year, 65 per cent of regular runners are hit by the injury bug, and 21 percent of walkers are afflicted (by definition, an 'injury' is a physical problem severe enough to force a reduction in training).
I have a bit of a problem with the definition of injury being used - it's pretty vague. Think about it, if I pull a hamstring and cut back on my volume for a couple of weeks I'm injured. As Carson aptly pointed out....there are lies, damn lies and statistics.
I think that's a fair point, & one worth exploring. (I am walking away from the computer after I post this, probably to people's relief).
I'm thinking someone with experience in formal athletics, even at a school level, will probably know how to listen to her hamstring, and what to do to heal it.
An idiot like me, who spent every year until 2007 avoiding exercise, did not know how to interpret pain. And neither did the GP, or the 2 physios who assessed me afterwards. Because of my inexperience, I didn't know a sports med doc was the person to see. And I did not see her (or the ortho to which she referred me) for a good while.
n=1 there, obviously. I'm pretty confident there are more than me, though.
(And yes, I read Runner's World constantly, watched videos on form & did my best to imitate them, spent over $200 on shoes - after a gait assessment. I did not foam roll, must say. Individual mechanics at play, yes, but I really did try to be diligent.)
edit: one last thought, though. Why is it that so many fitness professionals prefer people stay away from running, as the OP's PT did? Other than liability worries, they want people to stay motivated (and, stay clients, probably, but still - they want them to be successful in their bodies, and in fitness, even if it's just because it's good for business).0 -
I've been running for decades and as long as I've got great shoes and I rest whenever I suspect an injury coming on, I seem to have no problems. I actually feel more aches and pains during extended periods without running. When I was younger and didn't listen to my body, I had a few overuse injuries, but I haven't had ANY problems for several years now. Some people are more prone to injury and probably shouldn't run. I'm not one of them. 0
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Running is terrible for you and should be avoided at all costs!
It leads to chronic awesomeness! But it will make your uterus fall out...
Well this explains all the uteruses (uteri?) I see lying on the trail.
Indeed, just go to the finish line of any big city marathon, the street will be lousy with uteri...
I just about spewed soda out of my nose!! LOL!!!
I love running. If it's bad on my joints, my joints haven't figured that out yet. I've had a few bouts with some tendon issues, but otherwise I'm out there running. Getting geared up for a 15k in 11 day. Ran 2 half marathons this past year. Didn't even START running until 07-11 and nearly 40 years old!
If you enjoy it. . .stick with it. Just watch out for all the lost uteruses. . .they can be slippery suckers if you don't dodge them!!0 -
In my case, running wore out the cartilage in my hips to the point I had to have them both replaced. I started running back in the 80's to keep from gaining weight after I quit smoking. Within 9 months, I ran a full marathon (3:31:47) and continued logging 50-60 miles/week for the next 15 years until my hips began to bother me. I had a great surgeon and recuperated totally, except for being under Dr's orders to avoid running. I now alternate biking 20 miles with walking 6 miles 5 days/week plus recently, some daily 30DS (more like 15DS so far).
I believe I damaged my hips by going from a totally sedentary lifestile to a marathon in 9 months, not allowing proper recovery from the damage done by the long practice runs--up to 21 miles. Also, my case is hardly typical, as thousands of runners run much longer than I without any skeletal issues.
Good luck!0 -
edit: one last thought, though. Why is it that so many fitness professionals prefer people stay away from running, as the OP's PT did? Other than liability worries, they want people to stay motivated (and, stay clients, probably, but still - they want them to be successful in their bodies, and in fitness, even if it's just because it's good for business).
Because who needs to pay someone every week or month so they can tell them to go run. Personal trainer and fitness professional are two things I would not assume are the same thing.0 -
edit: one last thought, though. Why is it that so many fitness professionals prefer people stay away from running, as the OP's PT did? Other than liability worries, they want people to stay motivated (and, stay clients, probably, but still - they want them to be successful in their bodies, and in fitness, even if it's just because it's good for business).
Because who needs to pay someone every week or month so they can tell them to go run. Personal trainer and fitness professional are two things I would not assume are the same thing.
Lol. Maybe. PT could also say, "I can help you not be one of the 65% of recreational runners who hurt themselves". It's obvious that running takes technique - barefoot! forward lean! midfoot strike! etc.
But you can chuck in those two physios I saw.0 -
Run. Then swim. Amazing recovery exercise! Plus stretch in pool.... you will be amazed0
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