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I recommend running to anyone. Unless you have severe joint problems, in which I case I think non-impact activities like swimming and flat cycling are a bette

by colmvp 13y ago

I recommend running to anyone. Unless you have severe joint problems, in which I case I think non-impact activities like swimming and flat cycling are a better alternatives.

zxcdw 13y ago
This, definitely. Of course the said sports are a good addition to us runners too. I personally find it actually even more rewarding to do the longer aerobic workouts by swimming or cycling than always running. Mixing things up is hardly ever a bad thing.
ledge 13y ago
I prefer to run on thick grass, mountain bike trails, tracks, etc. for this reason. I don't have joint problems yet, but every time I run on pavement I can feel how hard it is on the body. Uphills runs and stair-training are also significantly lower impact on the knees and hips, though both can be harder on certain muscle groups like hamstrings. I recommend to everyone to find some winding, hilly mountain bike trails and go run on them. I could never get into running outside the context of team sports until I tried this; it's an absolute blast, especially if you have a background in sprinting.
- tobiasu 13y ago
  But when you do, please leave the earphones at home. And don't jump in a random direction like a deer when you hear someone behind you with squealing brakes. Us MTB'ers will appreciate it.
dbuxton 13y ago
Can anyone actually point me to a study that provides significant evidence for this? As a non-specialist with quite severe meniscal damage from an old rugby injury, swimming has often been suggested to me, but I found it the very most painful and upsetting activity of all. Whereas running (in Fivefingers, for the last four years) has more or less brought my knees back to normal. I'm not challenging that for some value of "severe" this is true, and I'm sceptical that my own experience represents anything useful at all for anyone else. But my question is: is there actual clinical evidence that this is the case, or is this actually just an old wives' tale? There are plenty of things online that suggest the opposite[1] - but can anyone who actually knows what they are talking about chime in with the state of the art? [1]: http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/joint-myth?page=single http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/joint-myth?page...
- joel_perl_prog 13y ago
  This isn't exactly what you're asking about (I think you're challenging swimming as a go-to activity for someone too injured or otherwise unable to run) -- but there is a related myth, which is that running ruins your knees. Studies have shown evidence the opposite is true: that running strengthens and thickens bone. I mention this by way of saying that, with the amount of myth and half-truth out there as relates to running and the impact on the body, I'm never surprised by what people believe anymore.
  - tobtoh 13y ago
    I was always under the understanding that running (potentially) ruins your knees by damaging your cartilage - bone thickness or density isn't the issue. That's why swimming is often recommended because there is no impact on your cartilage.
    - lostlogin 13y ago
      I'm running cartilage mapping MRI sequences on knees today - and while its hardly scientific, I would have to agree. The big runners I scan have some pretty munted hips and knees. So very messed up that I can't find any decent cartilage to use as baseline normal for the scanner.
      - noarchy 13y ago
        This is precisely why I'm a cyclist and not a runner. I like to think that I gave running a sincere effort, but the little aches and pains just bothered me constantly. Maybe I had poor form, or maybe my body just isn't built for it, I don't know. By contrast, after tens of thousands of kms on the bike, all I ever get are sore muscles after a hard effort.
    - ddeck 13y ago
      I recall that the research I've seen on this in the past showed reduced bone density etc. only in serious endurance runners (e.g. multiple marathons, ultra-marathon) and indicated improvements in your "average" runner. Bone density is definitely an issue, especially for women.
ddeck 13y ago
Humans seem to know how to run naturally. Run down the hallway in your house with no shoes on and your technique is likely very good. Strap on a pair of nice, thick, impact absorbing running shows and your technique often goes out the window. The problem with most running shoes is that they permit you to run terribly without (immediate) pain. They allow you to land with significant pressure on your heel or back half of your foot without really noticing. The flex in your foot and elasticity of your calf muscle help significantly in absorbing the energy of your foot striking the ground (and ideally returns some of it). Try this test: Without shoes, bounce up and down on your toes. Now try again on your heels. Ouch! And yet this is how many people run without noticing. Of course significant knee/ankle pain comes at some point. I'd recommend to anyone who experiences knee/ankle pain from running to try running without shoes for a very short distance, take note of your technique, and then replicate that with shoes on (or buy some very thin soled running shoes like those five-fingered variety). Your calf muscles will likely hurt like hell for the first few runs (because you weren't using them before), but they will soon adjust.

by colmvp 13y ago

I recommend running to anyone. Unless you have severe joint problems, in which I case I think non-impact activities like swimming and flat cycling are a better alternatives.

zxcdw 13y ago

This, definitely. Of course the said sports are a good addition to us runners too. I personally find it actually even more rewarding to do the longer aerobic workouts by swimming or cycling than always running. Mixing things up is hardly ever a bad thing.

ledge 13y ago

I prefer to run on thick grass, mountain bike trails, tracks, etc. for this reason. I don't have joint problems yet, but every time I run on pavement I can feel how hard it is on the body. Uphills runs and stair-training are also significantly lower impact on the knees and hips, though both can be harder on certain muscle groups like hamstrings. I recommend to everyone to find some winding, hilly mountain bike trails and go run on them. I could never get into running outside the context of team sports until I tried this; it's an absolute blast, especially if you have a background in sprinting.

tobiasu 13y ago
But when you do, please leave the earphones at home. And don't jump in a random direction like a deer when you hear someone behind you with squealing brakes. Us MTB'ers will appreciate it.

dbuxton 13y ago

Can anyone actually point me to a study that provides significant evidence for this? As a non-specialist with quite severe meniscal damage from an old rugby injury, swimming has often been suggested to me, but I found it the very most painful and upsetting activity of all. Whereas running (in Fivefingers, for the last four years) has more or less brought my knees back to normal. I'm not challenging that for some value of "severe" this is true, and I'm sceptical that my own experience represents anything useful at all for anyone else. But my question is: is there actual clinical evidence that this is the case, or is this actually just an old wives' tale? There are plenty of things online that suggest the opposite[1] - but can anyone who actually knows what they are talking about chime in with the state of the art? [1]: http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/joint-myth?page=single http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/joint-myth?page...

joel_perl_prog 13y ago
This isn't exactly what you're asking about (I think you're challenging swimming as a go-to activity for someone too injured or otherwise unable to run) -- but there is a related myth, which is that running ruins your knees. Studies have shown evidence the opposite is true: that running strengthens and thickens bone. I mention this by way of saying that, with the amount of myth and half-truth out there as relates to running and the impact on the body, I'm never surprised by what people believe anymore.
- tobtoh 13y ago
  I was always under the understanding that running (potentially) ruins your knees by damaging your cartilage - bone thickness or density isn't the issue. That's why swimming is often recommended because there is no impact on your cartilage.
  - lostlogin 13y ago
    I'm running cartilage mapping MRI sequences on knees today - and while its hardly scientific, I would have to agree. The big runners I scan have some pretty munted hips and knees. So very messed up that I can't find any decent cartilage to use as baseline normal for the scanner.
    - noarchy 13y ago
      This is precisely why I'm a cyclist and not a runner. I like to think that I gave running a sincere effort, but the little aches and pains just bothered me constantly. Maybe I had poor form, or maybe my body just isn't built for it, I don't know. By contrast, after tens of thousands of kms on the bike, all I ever get are sore muscles after a hard effort.
  - ddeck 13y ago
    I recall that the research I've seen on this in the past showed reduced bone density etc. only in serious endurance runners (e.g. multiple marathons, ultra-marathon) and indicated improvements in your "average" runner. Bone density is definitely an issue, especially for women.

ddeck 13y ago

Humans seem to know how to run naturally. Run down the hallway in your house with no shoes on and your technique is likely very good. Strap on a pair of nice, thick, impact absorbing running shows and your technique often goes out the window. The problem with most running shoes is that they permit you to run terribly without (immediate) pain. They allow you to land with significant pressure on your heel or back half of your foot without really noticing. The flex in your foot and elasticity of your calf muscle help significantly in absorbing the energy of your foot striking the ground (and ideally returns some of it). Try this test: Without shoes, bounce up and down on your toes. Now try again on your heels. Ouch! And yet this is how many people run without noticing. Of course significant knee/ankle pain comes at some point. I'd recommend to anyone who experiences knee/ankle pain from running to try running without shoes for a very short distance, take note of your technique, and then replicate that with shoes on (or buy some very thin soled running shoes like those five-fingered variety). Your calf muscles will likely hurt like hell for the first few runs (because you weren't using them before), but they will soon adjust.