

Phys Ed: Can Running Actually Help Your Knees? - edw519
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/phys-ed-can-running-actually-help-your-knees/

======
bhousel
Based on my own experience with running, this doesn't surprise me. I've been a
runner for about 5 years and am currently running about 40 miles a week. I
actually find that I'm in better health now (e.g. fewer injuries, better mood,
don't get sick) than before I started running.

As long as you do are disciplined with your training, your body can adapt to
handle the stresses of running:

\- Increase your mileage gradually. Most experts agree no more than 10%
increase per week.

\- Get adequate nutrition, hydration, sleep. Runners need a little extra
calcium and iron than non-runners. Also, you can expect to burn about 100-125
calories per mile, so you want to make sure you are eating enough.

\- Wear shoes that fit. Your feet actually swell a little bit as you run, so
you generally need to buy running shoes that are one size bigger than your
normal shoes. Your shoes should feel comfortable - it's ok to be picky and try
on a lot of pairs before you find ones you like. Also some people need to buy
gel insoles or arch supports to get a better fit. If you're not sure, you can
go to a running store and ask for help.

\- Run with proper form. The way I describe it to new runners is that proper
foot strike feels a lot like jumping rope. You want to be light on your feet,
hit the ground mid foot and be springy (not stiff) in your legs, and kick
back. If you're not sure, try running barefoot somewhere safe like on a grass
soccer field - this will force you to run properly.

\- Allow for some rest days in your schedule, and take a few days off if you
find yourself having pain that doesn't go away, or if you have pain that
affects your running form. Don't run if you have a chest cold or fever. Be
smart and go easy if you have other conditions like asthma or allergies. If
you're not sure, see a doctor.

Many people now believe that humans are specifically evolved for distance
running:
[http://www.philly.com/philly/health_and_science/20090720_Bar...](http://www.philly.com/philly/health_and_science/20090720_Baring_his_sole.html)

------
balding_n_tired
Anecdotal evidence--after a childhood bout of rheumatoid arthritis (or
rheumatic fever, perhaps), one or the other knee would hurt all day roughly
once a month--a deep and tiring pain. After I took up running in college, this
went away. Post hoc, propter hoc? Dunno; I run because I enjoy it.

~~~
timwiseman
How did you get into running? What would you recommend for someone starting
out?

~~~
dkarl
Get fitted for shoes by a specialty running store. You're not a busty woman,
but if you were, I would tell you to invest in a sufficiently supportive
running bra. (Title IX Sports, title9.com, has a whole line of extra-
supportive athletic bras, culminating in their "Last Resort Bra" for the uber-
busty.) The rest of your kit isn't worth worrying about, as long as you aren't
too uncomfortable.

For help getting started, check out coolrunning.com. They have articles and
forums especially for beginners. Their "Couch to 5k" program
(<http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml>) is pretty good, and
refined by lots of feedback in their forums. The forums are awesome -- in
their "Newbie Cafe" you'll get moral support from other beginners and great
advice from experienced runners.

------
dkarl
Something I posted a few days ago bears repeating: Running trails and running
clubs are disproportionately populated with people who are more resistant to
injury. Lots of people quit running out of frustration with injuries. I had a
two-year love affair with running that kept getting interrupted by shin
splints and sore knees. (Cue the "you're doing it wrong" folks. I paid careful
attention to my form and did my best to learn from, to choose one example from
many, Evolution Running.)

There's _no way_ you can create an adequate control group for middle-aged long
distance runners. You'd have to find people who had proved their ability to
withstand high mileage running in their middle age and then quit for reasons
unrelated to injury.

These days running is still my favorite form of exercise, and I no longer have
problems with injury, but that's because I gave up running long distances at a
steady pace. I'm either run/walking with my girlfriend or doing solo fartlek
sessions of no more than five miles total. I could certainly achieve higher
mileage, but pushing the injury envelope longer seems worth it. When your
study group is middle-aged long distance runners, you are perforce excluding
people like me. How do you exclude people like me from the control group?

~~~
timcederman
I just don't understand how I can run without injuries while my identical twin
seems to hurt himself every time he starts running again.

