4 ms·

This isn't really stated or testing, but one of my biggest issues with running is how much pain I feel on my joints. I actually find it really enjoyable to run

This isn't really stated or testing, but one of my biggest issues with running is how much pain I feel on my joints. I actually find it really enjoyable to run through the woods with my dog, but my knees just get mad. If these shoes relieved just a tiny bit of that pain I would find them almost worth it. Not saying one should buy an expensive pair of shoes, but if it was the case, maybe the shoes don't just make you run better, but actually walk better and more safe?

whitepoplar 8y ago
I could never understand why so many people run as a sport, when nearly all runners eventually develop joint problems, many requiring knee replacements (which you supposedly can't run on).
- loeg 8y ago
  This oft-repeated claim is factually inaccurate. Runners and former runners, as a population, have better knees than non-runners.[0] [0]: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27333572 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27333572
  - JacobJans 8y ago
    I wouldn't draw very many conclusions from that study. The study itself says: > This was an observational study where people chose whether or not they wanted to run; therefore there is always the possibility that people stopped running because they had knee pain. That's a pretty big flaw in their study.
    - thr0awaz 8y ago
      knee pain isn't the same as joint problems. All runners who run regularly will eventually develop knee or ankle pain. It's sort of normal for semi-serious distance runners to own a pair of crutches. I'm not saying all of them, but, if you need a pair of crutches, ask your friends who run and one of them will have a pair. But, your knee can hurt for a while without it turning into joint problems. > This was an observational study where people chose whether or not they wanted to run; therefore there is always the possibility that people stopped running because they had knee pain. As such, we cannot comment upon the influence of compulsory running on overall knee health. so... forced running might cause osteoarthritis. But, if you feel like going for a run and it doesn't hurt, it's not going to cause joint problems. > Our study findings add to the existing literature by including a large sample within which we were able to assess the influence of running in people who participated in running for shorter amounts of time and perhaps stopped running in a cohort that had high quality of assessments of symptoms and standardized radiographs. We found that runners in this group were not at a higher risk for symptomatic knee OA.
      - gamblor956 8y ago
        That's weird...I know hundreds of runners ranging from their teens to their 70s and only two of us own crutches. I have a pair because my brother broke his knee playing basketball and left them at my place. Another runner has a pair because a car hit her while she was biking and broke her leg.
        thr0awaz 8y ago
        Weird. Must just be the people I know then? Overuse injuries got a bunch of people I knew. They'd use crutches to speed recovery up a bit, or to get around if it was bad enough.
        mulletbum 8y ago
        Why do you guys survey your friends for crutches?
    - loeg 8y ago
      Sure. It's just provided as an example of a source. The comment it responds to provided no evidence for the claim made. > > This was an observational study where people chose whether or not they wanted to run; therefore there is always the possibility that people stopped running because they had knee pain. > That's a pretty big flaw in their study. How do you figure? These people are accounted for in the data. Regardless of why people stopped running, they have better outcomes than never-runners. E.g.: > Any history of running was associated with less frequent knee pain (table 2) in the unadjusted and adjusted models compared to those who never ran.
pdpi 8y ago
That's a perfectly legitimate concern, and would be a great reason to get something like this if you can afford it — but that's not how they're selling these shoes. Instead, they're focusing on the athletic performance aspect, to the point that, near as I can tell, they're outright fanning the flames of controversy around the idea that these shoes are unfairly fast.
darpa_escapee 8y ago
Joint damage and pain from running is real, and if it's a concern you have, you might want to look into speaking with a professional in that space. There are exercises, stretches and techniques you can learn, as well as products you can buy that you aren't going to find at a Foot Locker.
thr0awaz 8y ago
If your knees hurt it's either a form problem (you're likely overstriding or lifting your knees too high and slamming your feet into the ground), or a shoe problem (shoes are only good for 300-600 miles of running, assuming you never wear them walking and that you let them bounce back at least overnight after a run, or you're wearing like... motion control and heavily padded shoes when you need less stability or less padding, or vice versa) Other options are bad knees (unlikely, honestly. Not many people have knees that are so genuinely shot that they can't run, unless they're former paratroopers or are very years old) Or, if you're carrying a lot of extra weight (backpack full of water? I don't know, people do whatever they do), that'll hurt. Since you're talking about running in the woods, it's almost definitely not the sidewalk, but, some people need to build up their muscles and tendons by going from softer surfaces (not so soft like sand, but grass) to ashphalt, to concrete.
- justinator 8y ago
  Don't forget lack of ankle mobility. If the ankle can't do the job, the knee tries to, and that doesn't work all that well.
ahnick 8y ago
This is why I use an elliptical machine. (specifically the Octane Fitness Q47) Zero impact to joints. The Octane Fitness machines are great b/c they are very close to actual running. In fact from the looks of it the Zero Runner may be exactly like running now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=xUIIsjX7mJg https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=xUIIsjX7mJg

whitepoplar 8y ago

I could never understand why so many people run as a sport, when nearly all runners eventually develop joint problems, many requiring knee replacements (which you supposedly can't run on).

loeg 8y ago
This oft-repeated claim is factually inaccurate. Runners and former runners, as a population, have better knees than non-runners.[0] [0]: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27333572 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27333572
- JacobJans 8y ago
  I wouldn't draw very many conclusions from that study. The study itself says: > This was an observational study where people chose whether or not they wanted to run; therefore there is always the possibility that people stopped running because they had knee pain. That's a pretty big flaw in their study.
  - thr0awaz 8y ago
    knee pain isn't the same as joint problems. All runners who run regularly will eventually develop knee or ankle pain. It's sort of normal for semi-serious distance runners to own a pair of crutches. I'm not saying all of them, but, if you need a pair of crutches, ask your friends who run and one of them will have a pair. But, your knee can hurt for a while without it turning into joint problems. > This was an observational study where people chose whether or not they wanted to run; therefore there is always the possibility that people stopped running because they had knee pain. As such, we cannot comment upon the influence of compulsory running on overall knee health. so... forced running might cause osteoarthritis. But, if you feel like going for a run and it doesn't hurt, it's not going to cause joint problems. > Our study findings add to the existing literature by including a large sample within which we were able to assess the influence of running in people who participated in running for shorter amounts of time and perhaps stopped running in a cohort that had high quality of assessments of symptoms and standardized radiographs. We found that runners in this group were not at a higher risk for symptomatic knee OA.
    - gamblor956 8y ago
      That's weird...I know hundreds of runners ranging from their teens to their 70s and only two of us own crutches. I have a pair because my brother broke his knee playing basketball and left them at my place. Another runner has a pair because a car hit her while she was biking and broke her leg.
      - thr0awaz 8y ago
        Weird. Must just be the people I know then? Overuse injuries got a bunch of people I knew. They'd use crutches to speed recovery up a bit, or to get around if it was bad enough.
        mulletbum 8y ago
        Why do you guys survey your friends for crutches?
  - loeg 8y ago
    Sure. It's just provided as an example of a source. The comment it responds to provided no evidence for the claim made. > > This was an observational study where people chose whether or not they wanted to run; therefore there is always the possibility that people stopped running because they had knee pain. > That's a pretty big flaw in their study. How do you figure? These people are accounted for in the data. Regardless of why people stopped running, they have better outcomes than never-runners. E.g.: > Any history of running was associated with less frequent knee pain (table 2) in the unadjusted and adjusted models compared to those who never ran.

pdpi 8y ago

That's a perfectly legitimate concern, and would be a great reason to get something like this if you can afford it — but that's not how they're selling these shoes. Instead, they're focusing on the athletic performance aspect, to the point that, near as I can tell, they're outright fanning the flames of controversy around the idea that these shoes are unfairly fast.

darpa_escapee 8y ago

Joint damage and pain from running is real, and if it's a concern you have, you might want to look into speaking with a professional in that space. There are exercises, stretches and techniques you can learn, as well as products you can buy that you aren't going to find at a Foot Locker.

thr0awaz 8y ago

If your knees hurt it's either a form problem (you're likely overstriding or lifting your knees too high and slamming your feet into the ground), or a shoe problem (shoes are only good for 300-600 miles of running, assuming you never wear them walking and that you let them bounce back at least overnight after a run, or you're wearing like... motion control and heavily padded shoes when you need less stability or less padding, or vice versa) Other options are bad knees (unlikely, honestly. Not many people have knees that are so genuinely shot that they can't run, unless they're former paratroopers or are very years old) Or, if you're carrying a lot of extra weight (backpack full of water? I don't know, people do whatever they do), that'll hurt. Since you're talking about running in the woods, it's almost definitely not the sidewalk, but, some people need to build up their muscles and tendons by going from softer surfaces (not so soft like sand, but grass) to ashphalt, to concrete.

justinator 8y ago
Don't forget lack of ankle mobility. If the ankle can't do the job, the knee tries to, and that doesn't work all that well.

ahnick 8y ago

This is why I use an elliptical machine. (specifically the Octane Fitness Q47) Zero impact to joints. The Octane Fitness machines are great b/c they are very close to actual running. In fact from the looks of it the Zero Runner may be exactly like running now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=xUIIsjX7mJg https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=xUIIsjX7mJg