Myths About Running and Injuries

I recently had a discussion with a non-running friend about how bad running is for the body. I told her that most of her arguments against running are myths. I've done some basic research, and this is what I learned.


Myth: Running will destroy your knees.

It’s a common belief that running is hard on your joints—the knees in particular. But new research shows the opposite: Running might actually make you less likely to have knee problems down the road, according to a recent study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology. Researchers studied recreational runners and found that their knees had less inflammation (a precursor to arthritis) after completing 30 minutes of jogging than after sitting still for 30 minutes.

That being said, I believe that runners who ignore overuse injuries are definitely at risk for permanent knee damage. I do not believe a runner should ignore unusual muscle or joint pain. My motto has always been "live to run another day." One can always replace running with less stressful activities while waiting to heal.

Myth: Walking is just as good as running.

Walking is good, but it is certainly not the same as running.

The fact is that going for a slow stroll does not burn as many calories as a run of the same distance.
The truth is that intensity matters: A higher intensity jog leads to a greater after burn post-workout than you’d experience following a walk. In fact, running can lead to a 25 percent greater caloric expenditure during and after a run than a walk of the same distance.  A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research supports these numbers. 

Myth: It will damage your back.

There are some lifestyle risk factors that can cause back pain. These include obesity, sedentary work and stress. If running, exacerbates your back pain, you should replace it with another form of aerobic activity because running is a high-impact exercise. The repetitive jarring can be very hard on the joints and the spine. Studies such as the one published in the September 1986 issue of the "British Journal of Sports Medicine" found that the spine shrank by several millimeters after a 6 km run, and the shrinkage was directly proportionate to running speed. Although the relationship of spinal shrinkage to spine pain isn't fully known, those results show that running puts stress on the spine. 

 Obesity is a major contributor to back pain, and running is an excellent way to lose weight. A sedentary lifestyle can also cause back pain, by allowing the core muscles that support the spine to lose strength. A study published in the December 2009 issue of "Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism" found that running activated trunk muscles as well as core-specific exercises. 

Stress, anxiety and depression are also contributors to back pain, causing the muscles of the lower back to lock up. Exercise is one of the best ways to combat stress.

As with knee pain, runners need to be aware of unusual pain in the back and replace running with another activity as the body demands.

Myth: It will damage your heart

Most of us have heard stories about runners who collapsed from a heart attack mid-race or at the finish line, despite being in seemingly great shape. Those occurrences are extremely rare.

One study surveyed marathoners from 2000 to 2009 and found that of the more than 3.7 million participants, only 28 men and women died during or within a 24-hour period after their race (most, but not all, from heart-related issues). That’s less than one person per 100,000 racers. 

Other recent research found that running can strengthen your heart. 

I run with a heart monitor and try not to push myself during training runs unless I'm doing speed work.

My conclusions

As with everything moderation is the key. Take care of yourself by eating wholesome meals and get plenty of rest.

Listen to your body before, during and after runs.

Remember, if you are in pain, it's probably not a good idea to run.

Build up to the big things involving distance and speed through training.

Speed Work? Working on It!!

As slow as I'm training these days, I find it difficult to claim that I am doing speed work. However, the fact is, I am. During the month of October, my efforts have mainly focused on rebuilding my base by ramping up my mileage. Over time, this has proven to be an effective way to develop speed as I increase my endurance.

Another form of speed work is losing a few pounds by watching my diet. It is a known fact that the less a runner weighs, the faster he or she can run. So far, I have lost 10 pounds.

Using a heart rate monitor to dictate my pace has forced me to slow down. This has proven to be a good idea during this time of mileage increase. As my heart rate increases, I am forced to ease up on the pace. As a result of this work, my resting heart rate has gone down and stayed down. I have also found myself recovering more quickly post run.

Real speed work such as good old 400 meter repeats will begin as I continue down this path and develop the ability to maintain a running pace without over-stressing my body.

This week has been great! I've racked up 28 miles! I am at the point where I can complete a half marathon without concerning myself with speed. That's exactly where I need to be right now. The real speed is yet to come. I will be discussing my efforts in that direction in due time. For the moment, a slow to moderate jog will rebuild my fitness.