I have been a floor layer for 30 years, started Park Run in June progressing to the Amsterdam Half in October (Saw Anna at the airport....wheres the video?). My knees have never felt stronger! Much improved health, energy, have lost weight....feeling good!
A friend of mine who has run a marathon and regularly runs weekly asked me to run with him. I told him I can't because I was overweight and it would hurt my knees... I got a 15min lecture about how wrong I was, and now I'm on week 6 of the NHS Couch to 5k and not a knee injury in sight.. I have also lost 2 stone in the process .. 👍
One of the biggest problems I know with runners including my self is not stopping when you have and injury, carrying on training hoping it will go away. Then making it worse and having a longer lay off than if you had of just stopped for a few weeks in the first place.
When I was a kid, I hurt my knee (about 25 years ago). Assumed I couldn't run because for years, my attempts to try always resulted in that knee giving out on me and I'd be limping for days or weeks. Fast forward to 3 and a half years ago, I started running on a treadmill for its predictable surface a few times a week. After a few months, I started running outside (beginning with my first 5K race in April of 2016). Since then I've had no knee issues. Currently I'm up to averaging about 80K a week and I ran my first marathon a couple weeks ago (might be good enough to meet the 2021 Boston cutoff; we'll see). And I've met a ton of great people along the way in various running groups.
Almost the same story with me, I used to run but just to stay in shape for my football/soccer team season until one day I tear my ACL playing and after my recovery I started running again just to stay in shape and lose all the weight I accumulated during my recovery, one day while running I told myself what if I go for a longer distance than the normal 4 kilometers that I was doing and it felt great I end doing 7 k that day and that day I decided to dedicate to running and my knee hasn’t been an issue except for the IT band acting up sometimes but after a few days of recovery it gets back to normal. Now I’m planning on running my first half marathon and in the future my first marathon as well.
I started running at the end of September and I've now ran over 90km and only had a little knee pain. That pain was my muscles building from a life of not running and being over weight. Plus where I run is more like a trail so with the heavy rain recently I've had to side step a lot of large puddles etc, so that puts strain on weak joints. Now I can run without any discomfort. Start slow and work through the slight pain and build those musles slowly. 👍
YES!! I've been scolded by non-runners, and more specifically, bodybuilders, that I shouldn't run because it's bad for your knees. Well, I'm 57 years old, and my kneels feel better than ever. Moreover, my primary care physician thinks running is the best protection against future joint injury (given my current good joint health).
I have arthritis and find running really helps controlling my weight and general well-being. When I started running I was worried about my knees but apart from some general aches and pains they have been okay. Sarah, my wife, has just started couch to 5k and said her knee was a little sore - we will do the suggested exercises together and see if that helps.
Hi Dave. I too have OA...am a longtime runner. Also have torn minuscus on other knee (all these issues caused by years of martial arts' knee twisting and turning. Not sure how it's going to work out for me BUT the orthopaedic surgeon told me not to stop running. Said the benefits far outweigh the negatives. He sent me to a sports biomechanic to evaluate my running and improve my running style. I am 56 and plan to run to I drop dead. Good luck and enjoy the running mate!
Running was bad for my knees. I'm 45 years old, I took up running in my early teens. By the age of 19 I had to stop running because I had massive pains in my knees. I built up my distance so that I was running 50 miles every week without except I always managed the 50 miles per week, around Bristol so loads of up and down hill sections. I loved wearing Brooks Beast shoes, so I was wearing top of the range shoes for long miles. They are very stable shoes but I had no problems with pronation or anti-pronation. The wear in my shoes was always in the centre of the soul. I always worked on my technique to smooth out my running and be more economical. As for my weight at that time in my life I was really thin, you could see all of my ribs and I had no belly at all. Just pure thin. But I am tall 6"2 so there is some weight when it comes to being tall. After I gave up running I took up cycling and then triathlon. But although there was about a years gap between the running and triathlon, my knees were still not good. As a triathlete I could only run once every two weeks for about 4 miles. And my knees were really painful. I was still about to finish in the top 10% of the run sections in triathlons because I still had good technique. But as a triathlete I was still in massive pain from my knees. I stopped triathlon when I was about 23 or 24 and the problem of bad knees is still with me to this day as a 45 year old, if I don't run I'm OK. If I run for a bus my knees will hurt like hell for the rest of the day. When I go hiking I will still feel that sometimes there is a bit of pain, but it's OK it just feels like somethings not right, but not bad enough for an injury. I did rock climbing for about 8 years and if I jumped down from the wall my knees would hurt after a long session. As a cyclist I had to have pedals with maximum float (sideways movement), and when my pedal speed dropped and there was loads of force going through my pedals, then I could feel my knees were not 100%. I went to the doctor and they were useless. They took an x-ray and said they couldn't see anything. Regarding your scientific studies, it seems strange to compare runners to non-runners. If running gives you bad knees you'll keep going for a couple of years of pain, but then stop. If I was to take part in your scientific study I would be classified as a non-runner because I had to stop running because of my knees. Which means your scientific study would show the wrong result because I would add to the total of non-runners who have bad knees. Sorry I just don't believe your video, because of my personal experience. Perhaps if you don't do many miles and take things easy then running might not course too much damage and your body can recover, but I did damage my knees from too much running.
It's probably DOMS.."Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness". Be sure to stretch really well before and after run and get your protein in no later than 30 minutes when your done.
At this point I don’t care if running is bad for my physical body; all I know is if I can feel a panic attack coming on running is the only way I can cope. Anti-depressants, counselling, and running are what’s keeping me going. I’ll be dammed if someone tries to stop my from doing my long runs.
I'm 38 now and I've hated to run all my life so far. I started jogging just a few months ago and realised I've been hurting my knee from bad form (landing on my heel). I'm starting to enjoy jogging now and slowly look to enter my 40s in better shape than I ever was.
Ugh I get it all the time. It’s the runners equivalent of a vegan being asked where they get their protein from. That and people being adamant that they’re ‘just not built for running’. Bull pap. Everyone is built for running, it just takes time to get yourself conditioned to it.
twolocalexplorers I GET THAT ALL THE TIME I cannot stand it. “Your not built for running, you don’t have a running body” like stfu I got conditioning and run marathons so
Check this link out. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-97Wry4ppywQ.html And since I upped my protein from ending my vegan diet, I'm now twice as strong as I ever was. My protein intake used to be 20-40g per day, now its 70+g per day, my calves have doubled, and I've knocked nearly 4 minutes off my 5k pb in just 6 months. I used to think we didn't need much protein either, until I started eating meat . I hate having to eat meat, its depressing - wish I could be Vegan but my health and strength were so poor and I was sick of being looked at like a twig ( got called twig a lot) no more. Feel sorry for vegans now, but I respect them so much for letting the animals thrive at their expense. Very selfless - good on them ! But I'm selfish and love my new muscular curvy figure and I love running fast, and I love being able to say I'm now strong. And also, a couple of people in that video, are now hospitalised.
@@brandenbolt5573 you could've just upped your protein on your vegan diet. Eat more beans, nuts, whole grains, tofu, mock meats, you could even have a shake, which is even tasty and convenient. Just watch any vegan bodybuilder's what I eat in a day and you can get all the inspiration you need. Vegan =/= not enough protein. Bad diet = not enough protein.
Great video guys. I am genuinely enjoying your videos and like informative one's like this. I think it shows in your number of subscribers recently. Keep it up. Thank you.
I’m an old git. I’ve run for 38 years, and prior to that was into lots of sports, especially squash, rugby, and fencing. I lived with the thought that one day my knees would wear out...but lived in hope. In all those years it’s almost impossible to avoid injury, and niggles can be regular. Even so I persisted until, over three years ago, I suffered a knee pain. I assumed it was my usual, and that I’d run through it then it would go. It didn’t. I tried everything, from physiotherapy to kinesiology, to chiropractic. Most things, especially physiotherapy, just mad things worse, in one case almost crippling me. I had my knee X-rayed and MRI scanned; nothing there. Eventually I decided to see a knee surgeon at a private hospital, who’d been recommended. He said pretty well everything you say here. He referred to ‘wear and tear’ and said that wear is good but tear is bad, tear being what you get playing squash and basketball (his examples); in other words, injuries. He told me to avoid any physio that directly interfered with the knee, that I should rest it, but also run if it would let me, but without being silly. I should get a bio-mechanical assessment, which I did, and found I’ve been running fairly lopsided all my life. Finally my knee has almost returned to normal, despite exhortations from almost everybody I know (including my inner self), to ‘give it up’. I’m never going to beat any records or trouble Mo Farrah but, my goodness, how pleased I am that I didn’t give in to the ‘knees wear out’ school of thought.
When we run, the cyclic movement of the joins stimulate the cells to proliferate and therefore protect the knees! I’ve read that in a study that followed 50,000 runners for 15 years. Run is good for you, no excuses! 😂😂😂
Quite a few friends of mine who did soccer developed bad knees and they stopped playing early on.. I’m 50 and still running from my teens still going strong 👍
I started running 7 years ago and I had extensive knee surgery done 4 years prior to starting I had meniscus damage, left with 60% cartilage and 3mm at it thickest after surgery and a 2 1/2” cyst removed from the side of it. All of the damage was caused by my job (construction) and my weight (307 lbs) now 7 years later, 135 lbs less and my knees have never been stronger and my drs are amazed Sports drs truly understand why this happens so don’t fully trust your GP get a second opinion as running can rebuild not destroy
the worst thing was that 2 PHYSIOTHERAPISTS told me this exact thing. and how I should give up running altogether. ran a half marathon about 3 months later..lol
Overall, you have to have a smooth locomotion. You might run 5 percent slower and use 10 percent more energy, but it's worth it for non competitive running.
Lol , I get told that knee thing all the time, And that I’ll get old and worn out before my time. I have to remind them I’m able to be healthy because I DO run.
As an orthopedic surgeon, most of patients that come with knee issues are middle to old aged obese or overweight housewives that have never exercised in their lives
my boss is constantly telling me that its bad for my knees and i keep telling him only if you have a bad technique in fact i suffered knee pain for years from an old injury but never had pain since i started running, probably im guessing because the muscles are in better condition
i run 6 days a week, sometimes double run days and in the past have completed over 260km per week in 3 consecutive weeks. i ended up with shin splints, but have never experienced knee trouble
If i had a pound for every time someone said "your going to destroy your knees I would be able to afford new knees :o) seriously though a couple of guys in my running got knee trouble , one had to have a new knee at 45 years , he was quite a good club runner and did the London marathon in 2.32 and was running over 100 miles a week , the other was a 2.35 man and ran over a hundred miles a week , he had to have an operation on his knee as he had worn a groove in the knee , I have always tried to run on grass as much as possible and always use good cushioned shoes in training .
I am constantly told by people at work that running is bad for my knees. I run 40-50km a week, I weigh 10st @ 5 ft 10, eat healthily and walk all day at work. They are all overweight and eat bacon and sausage rolls for breakfast every single day. I wonder whose knees will give out first.......
The Running Channel I’m back to running ‘normally’ as approved by the physio. I feel stronger and faster which I believe is down to more efficient technique and improved muscle strength. However I’m not being complacent and will keep up the exercises daily
I've had ACL surgery on both knees. I assumed my distance running days were over before they started, but I got into it while losing 50 lbs over the past year. My left knee swelled up at first and hurt for two weeks. I waited until it was better and started again with better form and I don't have any knee issues.
I'm six months in my recovery from ACL surgery, just went on my first 5km run... I'm hyped to reach longer distances again. Did you not feel any weird instabilities in the knees post operation?
Most of the time people get pain their knees cause their running form is bad, I used to get pain on my knees and started watching videos on RU-vid on how to run properly. Now I don’t have any pain after running
People or should i say non-runners states that "running is bad for your knees" or ask "doesn't your knees hurt". I always respond not at all. Great tips and information in this video.
I started walking last autumn because I though I couldn't run because of my left knee. I just have to have some exercises before summer when the cycling season starts. Then my best friend told me if I could walk the way I do I can run easily. I can easily walk 10-15 km at pace of 6,5+ km/h. I'd like to start running but I don't know where to start. That's how I found your channel.
But elite marathon runners average between 100 and 150 miles a week in training. The human body is amazing - if you take care of it properly and don't abuse it by smoking, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or eating badly, you'll be surprised what it can achieve. Start slowly, strengthen your body and enjoy what you do. As Eliud Kipchoge says no human is limited.
@@babatundeswana9361 why is that obvious? So you think all the Kenyan, Ethiopian, Eritrean, American, European etc. elite marathon runners are all on steroids do you? Are you a runner yourself? I am a club runner - I have a full time job and other commitments but I am still able to run 60 miles a week comfortably, as are many other similar club runners. Yes a tiny minority of professional athletes have been exposed as drug cheats, but the vast majority are not and that is how they train. How else do you think they are able to run 42.2km in just over 2 hours?
In my opinion, there's no greater exercise than running. Running is just jam packed with health benefits. They're so far reaching! It just torches calories and fat from the body and strengthens key organs.
When I began running at first my knees would ache at odd times during the day, I was going to see a doctor but after a while of running, I don't feel it anymore.
I haven't even started running yet, just mentioned that I am going to once I've got my weight down a bit more, an already I'm getting the you will destroy your knees comments!
Fiona Watson You absolutely will not destroy your knees, look at my post a couple up from yours here I started running at over 300+ lbs and my knees are stronger, it’s about taking your time , pace doesn’t matter and concentrate on for and you’ll be fine My first runs were 400m 100m at a time Small goals big changes Go for it you’ll do great 👍
I inadvertently inflicted shin splints on myself because of my work shoes. One time a few years ago I was getting shin pain, and all of my running shoes were not that old, then I suddenly realized, oh wow my work shoes are about two years old. Got new shoes for work, guess what; the pain went away with in about a week. So lesson learned, you have to take into account all the shoes you wear 😀.
Yep. I had similar with plantar issues. Soon as I got work shoes that had a bit of heel, not worn down, massive improvement. Kicked myself when I realised it had nowt to do with running or my running shoes.
Great video squad, yip had that sneering comment from mostly couch potatoes and rain on your paraders for years... great advice for them if they want to give running a try though....
I’m very active. I cycle everyday, hard. I push high watts and don’t just doddle around. I swim for fitness too. I also lift weights. I have zero knee issues or pain, until I run. Then my knees bring me to a standstill, so you can understand why I feel it’s doing something to mu knees that none of my other activities do.
Awesome videos as always. Shelley has had numerous knee operations when she was younger and was told she would never run and now she is a strong runner with no knee issues 👍 I took up running after a knee injury from cycling and also a strong runner with no issues with my knees. Just listen to your body 🤘
Thanks for this, I enjoy your channel. Will you make a video for "mature folk?" I'm a veteran cyclist/swimmer who started running in my 50s and I average 100km a month without any knee pain. Your channel has helped me with this: I watch your tips and do the core training (indoor workouts #1 and #2) for balance, flexibility, and to prevent injuries. These videos have been great comfort during covid, as I miss my group activities so the comraderies is fun and encouraging like hanging out with friends. Keep these videos coming!
Thanks for watching Allison! We made a video about how age affects running performance a short while ago - you can have a look at it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-d43VWpMl7jA.html
I was told by a Dr not to run because I have arthritis in both my knees.... I believe him for years until I did some research on my own. Since starting running I have had much less knee issues than before.
My orthopedist told me I’ll get you back to running after suffering an ACL injury, he is an amazing Dr. I got back to running and even my mom got back to work again after having the same injury after an accident. I would recommend getting another doctor who is willing to put work into getting back to doing what you love not someone who discourage you because maybe he won’t actually put his effort into fixing the problem.
Kevin that’s awesome. My physical therapist is also a runner, she help me recover from my IT band problem, she really makes people work for his recover which I like cause some therapist just take soft on you and that won’t help at all. She said the best way to recover from an injury is using weights and stretches instead of technology or electric machines. That’s so cool that your doctor is a runner, he will definitely understand your physical problems and needs
I used to run in my early 20s. My mom warned me it'll bust my knees as they did hers because she had osteoarthritis starting in her 40s and knee pain even before that. Basically, high impact sports = bad for knees. But osteoarthritis does run in my family. My grandmother has it, so does my mom and occasionally I get creaks in my knees now, even though I'm only 33.
A lot of people say running is bad for you in order to feel less bad about themselves and the fact they're unfit in my opinion. Obviously not always the case but I think this is why people say this stuff a lot of the time.
I would say that most difficulty in running stems from a heel strike. Almost everyone I inconspicuously examine while out running relys overly much on the heel strike with as high a cadence as possible. This brings knee problems with pronation and also will develop shin splints. But practising a mid-foot strike requires a fair bit of practice. The one rule of thumb would be to consistently raise the ankle behind the runner up to or above the knee, which will ensure that the forefoot, the largest part of the foot with the most area absorbs the stepping contact rather than the heel. But there are no hard and fast rules, except you may notice the runners that run well all raise that ankle behind above the knee very consistently.
I used to run everyday until i got a knee injury . i have no pain in my knees for 15 years now but every few year i give running a try and the injury comes right back .
Running is not bad for your knees however running with improper form & the wrong shoes is. Most people run at too high an intensity which creates, instead of relieves, stress in the body. Poor diet also contributes to injuries in general and overall health. Running should be approached in a holistic manner, not just as an exerice or way of getting fit / losing weight. Everything we do while we're not running probably contributes more to our overall health / injuries than the actual running itself. Training = Work + Recovery.
Q : why do you run? Is that bad for your knee? Me : I m running because I'm lazy and frankly I have manage to lose and maintain my weight. My knee and my back is thanking me fo taking the effort. Keep up the informative video. Luv ur channel.
No running hasn't been bad for my knees despite the fact I've probably got the most creaky knees going. They've been cracking and popping since I was in my teens. My hips on the other hand......
Let's logically think about this too (coming from a fitness professional myself) the ACTUAL textbook definition of arthritis is, "Pain and STIFFNESS in your skeletal joints" the key word in this is STIFFNESS joints can become stiff and painful if you're not actively using your joints (running, jogging etc) it's just like your heart, lungs, muscles etc atrophying in the general sense, is wasting away because of lack of use
I had minor knee issues for a few years due to a motorcycle accident. I took up running a couple of years ago and it has definitely improved. it does play up when my technique gets sloppy though
ive been running 5-8 km almost everyday for the past two years and I've been experiencing some knee pain which comes and goes and goes away instantly when I massage my knee a bit I hope its nothing bad cause Im going to have to run for the majority of my lifetime and the last thing i need are bad knees this early in my amateur kickboxing career where i cant even do my other strength and martial arts training (if someone has tips on how to run everyday without destroying your knees please do tell me if they are some exercises or stretches ill do it)
I had a PT tell me I couldn't run anymore because it was bad for my knees. She said I need a new hobby. I chose to get a new PT. I have been pain free for 3 years now - 3 straight 1000 mile years.
I had problems with my right knee from around age 8. It was a little weak and I struggled with any movement that was similar to squats or lunges where it felt like it was going to give way. I started running around 3 years ago (age 40) and some where around the first year of running the problem just went away. I assume the running built balance in muscles around the knee that had not been there all those years.
Yep get it said at least once a week that running is bad for the knees. Then they point out how I walk, but they do not understand that it is down to arthritis in both knees. But I am reversing other medical issues/a life time of bad choices by the running. I can put up with the minor pain in the knees for the love of the run
Being as a health care professional i must say that running is nothing to do with osteoarthritis.. rather its your BMI weight and mechanics which matters.. and there are certain other etiological factors and comorbidities which leads to OA..
Being asked if running is ruining my joints is right up their with the number of people who say "Run, Forrest run!" Other than a case of runner's knee a few years ago and some achey knees after running marathons, I don't have any problems. I even sometimes run in Vibrams, FYI.
Some of those strengthening exercises we show in the video - like single leg squats and the resistance band exercises can help strengthen your ankles too
The one part of my legs that I haven't hurt in starting to run at 47 years old is my knees. LOL. I had a lot of ankle issues, too. In this last year, though (year 3 of my journey) it's all gotten better. Good shoes and good mechanics (and stretching and foam rolling) have done the trick. The last ankle pain I had ended up being more related to tightness in my calves than anything else.
Thanks for the great video. I have a torn cartilage on both knees. One of them has been operated on and 60% of the cartilage removed. And the other has strenthened up with no issues. So both are ok. Only on extreme sports like tennis with agressive stops and runs, it feels like the knee will give way. Providing I rest a few days, I can run twice a week for about 20 minutes. Do you think I can not only continue but increase this both repetition wise and duration wise? Thanks.
Barefoot ultra runner here: don't waste your money on shoes just get some running sandals and it'll sort your IT band etc aches and pains out in no time.
I've been fell racing, mountain running and running up steps for a fair few years, and I've come to the conclusion it's not good my knees started cracking and my legs kept getting stiff like they felt inflamed really hot the following few days after and a dull ache, I row now and as much as I don't find it as challenging I know it's alot better for the joints and the heart I'm actually down to 42bpm resting which I'm proud about as that's how I monitor my result for cardiovascular health, I still think running is good though but only if you don't overdo it and keep to flat surface running just don't run up maintains or start strapping weight to you're back else the joints ain't gonna be happy with you 😄
Running a marathon at age 38 wrecked my knees. Probably due to a combination of poor technique and building up to a full marathon too quickly. I'm planning to ease back into running, but this time I'm going to be smart about it and get guidance from a sports therapist. And as I vowed as I approached the finish line of that marathon in 2017, I am *never* running a marathon again.
Hello the running channel! I have a question for you! If my back hurts mid way through a 1.5km run, is it bad for me to run? I don’t seem to have very obvious injuries but I definitely feel pain in my spine. I did stretch before I ran, so I’m not sure what’s causing it! Would appreciate it if you could answer me :) My 3km XC race is in 5days and I’m excited but sad if I would not be able to participate because of my back,
Everyone who’s told me that running is bad for knees was after a convenient excuse to avoid exercise 🏃🏻 My knees are stronger because of running 🤔 Not to mention all the other benefits you mentioned that I’ve also experienced
What is bad for the knees is the modern running shoe, I have had injury's in the past but non in the last 2 years and this is when I went minimalist/barefoot running. I have only been running just over forty years so I have a little bit of experience of the modern running shoe
