Running is Good for Your Health
The truth is really that running is good and bad for your health. Knowing both the good and the bad can help you to prevent the bad things and revel in the good things. Here is the truth about whether running is good for your health. Let’s start with the things about running that are good, and even great, for your health. First and foremost, running reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease which is the number one killer of women. In the Nurses Health Study conducted as a collaboration between Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital researchers found that women who most active had a heart attack rate that was 44% less than those women who were sedentary. (1)
Running has other positive effects on risk of cardiovascular disease such as strengthening the heart muscle, reducing the risk of clot formation, prevents hardening of the arteries, lowers triglycerides and cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol. Research published by Dr. Williams from Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in California found that runners who enjoyed high mileage weeks had the best effect on raising HDL while those who concentrated on speed work had a better effect on lowering triglycerides. (2)
Running also reduces your heart rate and blood pressure. These are secondary affects of the heart muscle being stronger and less hardening of the arteries which contributes to high blood pressure. Most good cardiovascular exercise, including running, reduces the risk of stroke which is the second leading killer of women. These again are secondary effects of lower blood pressure and a strong cardiovascular system. Studies have also proven that physical activity will lower the risk of breast cancer. In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that those who were most active had a 37% lower risk of breast cancer compared to the group of women who are sedentary.
Physical exercise also enhances the immune system. Researchers have found higher levels of lymphocytes (the cells that attack disease) in the blood during and after exercise. It seems these cells are recruited during physical activity to protect the body. This can also have a negative effect when the runner puts in high mileage, such as a marathon. This can leave the athlete open for viral infections when the lymphocytes are depleted after these activities.
Physical activity, including running helps diabetics to more completely control their blood sugar, it keeps the intestinal tract running regularly and enhances and strengthens your respiratory system. Running also helps to ease menstrual and post menopausal symptoms, it helps to prevent bone loss associated with age, it helps to prevent a decline in reaction time and leads to a long and happy life.
Although there are many reasons that running good for your health there are several things that may have a negative impact on your health as well. Running isn’t the filthy habit that it’s been made out to be with bad knees, torn cartilage and ripped tendons. If you run strictly for fitness, about 30 minutes several times each week, then you don’t have much to worry about.
On the other hand, when you push your body beyond these limits you are heading for performance and performance means more than fitness, it pushes you body to the limit. This pushing can result in damaged cartilage, torn tendons and potentially increases your risk of arthritis.
Knowing these risks can help you to prevent the damage by protecting your joints through stretches and strengthening the muscles that support the ankle, knee and hip joints. You should also listen to your body and when it’s has had enough don’t push. It can be fun to run a couple of 10K races but unless your dreams, and talents, have you heading for the Olympics, fitness may be your best option.
Jogging tips
You would think that because we know how to crawl, walk and run that we would also innately know how to jog and race. That just isn’t the case. Running from one corner to the next does not mean you have the knowledge to design and execute a program that will take you from couch to 5k in several months. The most important thing to remember when you are beginning a running and jogging program is that this is a new sport. Just as you wouldn’t pick up a basketball, dribble twice and believe you could play like Michael Jordan, nor should you put on a pair of running shoes and believe you can run like Michael Green. Instead, take the time to learn the basics, understand the execution and deliver the goods. You’ll be much happier in the long run, and so will your body!
Running and jogging takes a small toll on your body. Is this a negative toll? Only if you abuse your body and push it beyond your initial limits. As you continue to work at a sport that requires weight bearing through the legs and spine you’ll find that your bones will thicken from the stress, which will decrease your risk of osteoporosis as you grow older. Your tendons and ligaments will strengthen over time. Your cardiovascular ability will increase and your risk of stroke, diabetes, heart attack and immune mediated illness will decrease.
Here are several jogging tips that will keep you in tip top shape, decrease your risk of injury and keep you hungering for more and more time on the road.
Jogging Tip #1: Have a plan! If you fail to plan then you plan to fail. Every good runner, even jogger, has a plan of action to improve at his sport. Especially when starting out at jogging and running have a written plan to follow.
Jogging Tip #2: No matter how good you feel don’t push beyond your plan! The plan is there for a reason. One of the biggest mistakes that novice runners make is to push beyond the written plan on days they feel great. This only increases your risk of injury, makes your body weaker, and makes you question why you started this sport in the first place.
Jogging Tip #3: Your goal is FITNESS. Unless you are an elite endurance and performance athlete you should finish your workouts feeling great. Elite athletes may finish tired once or twice a week but they understand more than most that the body needs time to recover and repair before being able to be pushed again.
Jogging Tip #4: Warm up before each run. Running and jogging on cold muscles will decrease your performance, make you feel sluggish, decrease your motivation to continue and increase your risk of injury.
Jogging Tip #5: Wear the best running clothes for the weather. If you are running outside in the cold weather dress appropriately! Wear bright colors to stand out from the snow covered streets in the winter. Cover your head, your hands, your nose, your eyelids and the tips of your ears. Leave the house with enough clothing to feel slightly cold starting out so you don’t overheat when your body warms up. Head out into the wind so it’s at your back when you return and always carry a cell phone to reach help if it’s needed.
Jogging Tip #6: In the summer wear light colored clothing, supportive material and carry water if the temperature is greater than 90 and you are running more than 20 minutes. If you are running in a neighborhood you may be able to ask some of the neighbors if you can stash a water bottle in their mailbox early in your run so as you pass by it’s there to quench your thirst – you won’t have to carry it the whole run.
Jogging Tip #7: Wear running shoes. Doesn’t matter if you are “just a jogger” or if you have your sights set on the local 5 k or 10 k race, running shoes are a must. Running and jogging doesn’t require much equipment but the sport specific equipment you do use is not negotiable. Running in cross trainers or tennis shoes increases your risk of injury to your legs, hips, knees and ankles as well as increasing the amount of pounding that the cartilage in your knees must endure.
Jogging Tip #8: If you can, run at least 60% of your time outdoors. Although the technology behind treadmills has come a long way it doesn’t take the place of running over the road or track. A treadmill decreases your energy expenditure while increasing your perceived exertion due to lack of distraction.
Jogging Tip #9: Cool down and stretch. This is often the part of the jogging routine that is over looked. You are done running, tired and hot. All you want is to pop in the shower and sit and relax for a few minutes. Don’t give in! Take about 5 minutes to walk and cool down and then another 10 minutes to stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings, gastrocs, glutes, IT band, adductors, triceps, biceps and shoulders. This will decrease the amount of lactic acid build up in the muscle and decrease the how sore you may feel the next day. It will also improve your performance, increase the flexibility of the muscles and prevent injury.
The running bug can hit, and hit hard. Once someone has the desire to run in their first race they can’t wait to get started training. One of the biggest mistakes made is getting started too quickly and increasing their risk of injury. Some of these types of new injuries can sideline a runner for weeks. And, when a runner is new, this kind of discouragement can extinguish the running flame forever.
Instead, it’s much wiser to start with a 5k beginning running program that puts you on the right track, so to speak. Remember, that the voyage of a 1000 miles starts with one step. The same is true of wanting to run races or even marathons. Before running you have to learn to walk and before walking you must learn to crawl. So before marathons let’s learn to run a 5k well. The concepts will help you to continue your running career in health and with the smallest amount of injury possible.
It’s very easy to get impatient and be tempted to skip ahead – but DON’T! Don’t do more even if you feel that you can – you’ll end up sore, miserable and wondering why anyone in their right mind runs. Don’t feel pressured to through the 5k beginning running program faster than you can and even repeat weeks if needed and move ahead only when you’re ready.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind while you are training over the next several months. Use your breathing as a guide when you are running. You should be able to carry a conversation when you are running with a running partner or to yourself. Remember to drink water during the day whether you are running or not, drink at least 10 ounces of water after each run and bring water with you to drink halfway through your run if it’s hot and humid.
Space out the training runs throughout the week with at least one day off between runs to give your muscles time to recover and repair. Focus on gradually increasing the time or distance that you are running and leave the faster times until your bones are stronger and your body fitter. Your muscles actually need a day of rest to repair and rebuild. If you run every day you actually won’t see as much improvement as when you rest.
Each of your training sessions should take between 20 and 40 minutes each day, three days per week. Using this 5k beginning running program will get you fit and improve your cardiovascular fitness. Runners who do more than this are usually interested in more than fitness.
On your off days from running you can use a cross training activity like biking or swimming or incorporate weight training to improve your upper body strength. When you are measuring your ability to work through the program you’ll be either measuring your workouts by time run or distance run. If you are running on a track you’ll be able to measure the distances pretty accurately but if you aren’t just use a car to estimate the distance run each session.
Before starting each session begin with a 5-10 minute warm up walk or jog. Leave the stretching for after your workout when your muscles are warmed up and ready to stretch. Stretching will help to improve your performance in your next run. Use stretching to help in your cool down routine.
This program assumes that you are a couch potato and haven’t run before. It is also a rather aggressive approach to going from 0-60 in 12 weeks. A more conservative approach would be to take this same program and stretch it out over 28 weeks. There is no right or wrong way to approach your training. The rule is to listen to your body and find success at the end – not burn out in the beginning or middle of the program.
| Week | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
| 1 | Alternate 60 sec jogging with 90 sec walking for 10 minutes | Alternate 60 sec jogging with 90 sec walking for 15 minutes | Alternate 60 sec jogging with 90 sec walking for 20 minutes |
| 2 | Alternate 60 sec of jogging with 90 sec of walking for 20 minutes | Alternate 90 sec of jogging with 60 sec of walking for 20 minutes | Alternate 90 sec of jogging with 60 sec of walking for 20 minutes |
| 3 | Alternate 90 sec of jogging with 60 sec of walking for 20 minutes | Alternate 90 sec of jogging with 60 sec of walking for 30 minutes | Alternate 90 sec of jogging with 60 sec of walking for 30 minutes |
| 4 | Alternate 90 sec of jogging with 60 sec of walking for 30 minutes | Alternate 120 sec of jogging with 60 sec of walking for 30 minutes | Alternate 120 sec of jogging with 60 sec of walking for 30 minutes |
| 5 | Alternate 3 minutes of jogging with 1 min of walking for 30 minutes | Alternate 3 minutes of jogging with 1 min of walking for 30 minutes | Alternate 3 minutes of jogging with 1 min of walking for 30 minutes |
| 6 | Jog ¼ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¼ mile; walk ¼ mile | Jog ¼ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¼ mile; walk ¼ mile | Jog ¼ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¼ mile; walk ¼ mile |
| 7 | Jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile | Jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile | Jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile |
| 8 | Jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile | Jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile | Jog ½ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile |
| 9 | Jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile | Jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile | Jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ mile |
| 10 | Jog 1 mile; walk ¼; jog 1 mile; walk ¼; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ | Jog 1 mile; walk ¼; jog 1 mile; walk ¼; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ | Jog 1 mile; walk ¼; jog 1 mile; walk ¼; jog ¾ mile; walk ¼ |
| 11 | Jog 1½ mile; walk ¼; jog 1½ mile; walk ¼ | Jog 1½ mile; walk ¼; jog 1½ mile; walk ¼ | Jog 2 mile; walk ¼; jog 1 mile; walk ¼ |
| 12 | Jog 2 ½ mile; walk ¼; jog ¾; walk ¼ | Jog 3 ½ | Jog 3 ½ |
How to Get Faster at Running
Getting faster at running is something many runners want to achieve. And there are several reasons why running faster may just be a good idea. Running faster doesn’t necessarily mean running more or adding more pounding to your knees and hips. In fact there are ways to run faster when you aren’t even running!
One reason that running faster may actually be better for you is because when you run faster you run with a longer stride that turns over faster and with more efficiency. Running faster using an efficient stride means your legs hit the ground less often and your joints have less potential for damage.
So when can I get faster at running? Runners should first have a base number of miles that they can achieve easily before they attempt to increase their speed and do speed work. Runners should be running between 20 and 25 miles each week before integrating running exercises that will increase their speed.
However, there is one exercise that can be incorporated from the beginning that helps runners to learn how to take longer strides without working on turnover. Ohio State University football coach Woody Hayes used a 40-foot long ramp installed near the football field at a 25-degree angle to help his players learn how to run downhill with an efficient stride. This activity is a plyometric exercise that will help to develop muscular power by generating a large amount of force quickly.
Runners who want to improve their speed are well served by incorporating interval training after they have a good base mileage. Interval training and fartlek training are very similar. There are times when these terms are used interchangeably but they are different.
Interval training is based on doing speed sprints in an organized and planned fashion. For instance there is a ladder workout where the athlete does sprints on the track at distances of 400, 800, 1200, 1600, 1200, 800 and finishing with 400. The athlete will jog and cool down between each of the sprints.
Fartlek is the Swedish word for speed play. When an athlete does a fartlek run it is often best done with two or three running partners. The group will do a strong warm up jog of a mile together and then the lead runner will do a sprint of undetermined length with the rest following. After the sprint is completed the lead runner drops to the back of the pack and the pack does a cool down jog. The new lead runner will then do another sprint of undetermined length and the cycle repeats until the runners have come to the agreed finishing point. The point behind a fartlek run is speed play. The runners are playing at speed sprints and having fun, which is what running is all about anyway!
Whether you are doing interval or fartlek speed work don’t schedule more than one speed session per week to decrease your risk of injury. Your body requires this time to recover while you are still running other distances. If you schedule one speed work session and one long distance session you have only one or two more days to get in a quality run without risking injury to your legs and hips.
During your week also incorporate upper body weight work to increase your upper arm strength. This helps you to move along faster and pump your upper body in tandem with your lower body. Good oblique abdominal muscles will also help to move your body along faster. Each time you activate your lower legs you also activate the oblique muscles on the same side. Want to run faster – don’t forget to strengthen your abs!
How can I get faster at running when I’m not even running? Did you know there is one specific exercise that runners use to improve the strength of their legs and their balance and that will also help them to run faster. That exercise is the lunge. The lunge, performed correctly, will improve the strength of the quadriceps and gluteal muscles, both needed for a good strong running stride and good turnover of the legs.
Done correctly the lunge can be done using very little space in an apartment or home. Standing up with your feet together concentrate on your balance. Start with your right foot and move it forward, dropping your body so the knee on the front leg is at 90 degrees. Hold this for 2-3 seconds, stand up and bring the front leg back.
It is important that your weight is placed in the heel of the foot and not your toes. You should feel the muscles in your buttocks (gluteal muscles) working to stabilize your body and your quadriceps to hold your body up. Do 1 set of 10 on each leg the first time and be prepared for your legs to hurt the next day. You can gradually increase to doing 3 sets of 10 on each leg. It is very important to keep your weight in your heel so you are using the right muscles and you protect your knee joint.
How can I get faster at running is a question asked of many trainers and desired by many runners. It’s real question that deserves a real answer. Unfortunately runners must do the work to get faster and just reading about interval training or fartleks, or lunges won’t the difference in your stride until you actually take action!
Running Tips for Long Distance
When an athlete determines to learn the art of running, and even jogging, they must figure out what distance best suites their needs, their time schedules, and their desires. Obviously running 2 or 3 miles takes less time, and effort, than running 6 or 10 miles. It also takes a different mental attitude to complete 6 miles.
Running tips for long distance can help a runner transition from running a couple of miles each day to bringing in that one or two long distance runs each week to increase caloric burn, increase athletic ability and improve your chances for completing those races successfully.
The first thing a runner should understand is that you can’t go from running 2 miles to 10 in just one short week. This is a building process that requires weeks, if not months, to reach those high mileage weeks without incurring an injury that will sideline the athlete for weeks.
Unless you are racing or training at an elite level, the first several miles of your long distance run should be at a slightly slower speed than you anticipate running the last half. It’s best for your body and your mental game to be able to speed up as the run progresses and not to have to slow down because you’ve worn yourself out before the run has been completed. Finishing the run moving faster than you started will help to improve your mental and emotional anticipation of the next long distance run, instead of dreading something you had to push hard just to finish.
Another running tip for long distance is that long distance runners should always stay hydrated, drinking water throughout the day, whether they are running or not, to protect their kidneys and to flush out toxins and waste products. Long distance runners require a good amount of hydration to complete their runs with good performance. The more dehydrated you are when you start your run the more the performance suffers and the more water and fluid will be required during the run.
Another running tip for long distance is to give your body 2 days rest between long distance runs. This equates to two long distance runs a week. Between these runs you can intersperse runs that are shorter and have different goals. In a long run you are increasing your running base but on other days you’ll be able work on your speed or hill work.
Long distance runners and sprinters require the most support for their feet. Make sure that the shoes you are wearing haven’t lost their cushion and support so that your legs and hips don’t receive more pounding than is necessary.
Keep diversity in your long distance runs, you’ll have more fun and find that it’s more distracting. This distraction will help to decrease the discomfort you feel over the long distance and keep you focused. Run on different routes, at different paces, with different partners to keep your mind focused on the results you are trying to achieve.
Incorporate an off-season into your long distance running schedule. Take one to three months off each year and use other aerobic activities to keep your body in good cardiovascular shape. This change will keep your mind sharp and your body from injury.
Remember to stretch and strengthen sport specific muscles for long distance runs. Keeping your hamstrings and quadriceps strong and lengthened will help improve your stride, your ability to run distance and decrease the soreness you may feel after a long run.
And the last, and fun, running tip for long distance runners is to use massage over their lower extremities after a run to decrease the amount of lactic acid build up in the muscles. Lactic acid is a by-product of metabolism. Quite a bit of lactic acid is built up over long distance runs and it is deposited in the muscle until the blood can clear it. By massaging the muscles and staying hydrated you can help to release the lactic acid and therefore decrease the muscle stiffness and soreness after a long run.
Beginning a long distance running program can be fun, exciting and hold potential for improved times and performance at the shorter distances. Runners who are attempting to increase the time and distance run should take good care of their bodies and have realistic expectations of what can be achieved in the amount of time they focus on their plan.
Calories Burned Running vs Walking
People who exercise often want to know how many calories they are burning. Many of today’s machines have this function built right into the processor. In fact, even some of the older model machines will give the athlete a good indication of how many calories they’ve burned while doing their daily routines.
Athletes who don’t use machines though often have the same questions. How many calories burned running vs. walking? Some say that calories burned running vs walking is the same. But the truth is very different. And it isn’t what you may think.
The truth is that speed does matter; as well as how much weight is being carried and how much oxygen is burned. It’s a combination that can work to your advantage to walk quickly or run slowly or run quickly. And you can anticipate those numbers to give yourself the best advantage when working toward burning the most number of calories.
The calories burned running vs. walking has been studied from different angles and at different universities. In a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise researchers measured the actual calorie burn of 12 men and 12 women while running and walking. The results showed that the men, who weighed more, burned more calories and in both groups the running burned more calories than the walking.
Part of the explanation for these differences is based on oxygen consumption. For every liter of oxygen you consume you will burn 5 calories. And because running involves the consumption of more oxygen it stands to reason that it also burns more calories. However, when the body weight is great and the physical abilities of the body are limited walking also increases oxygen consumption.
In general, controlling for weight, physical abilities and oxygen consumption the differences between calories burned running vs walking is that runners burn an average of 10 calories each minute while walkers burn an average of 5 calories per minutes.
But, let’s look at this equation. If an obese man with poor physical abilities walks quickly his calorie burn will be greater because of the increased oxygen consumption and weight. But as his physical ability increases and weight decreases the number of calories burned for the same perceived effort will be less.
There is a distinct advantage to running when comparing calories burned running vs. walking. That advantage is the decreased amount of time needed to burn the same number of calories. This is an advantage that many runner find fits well in the fast paced, little off-time society in which we live. When an athlete has only 20 minutes to work out they can burn 200 calories as opposed to the 100 calories a walker will burn.
However, running has been known to increase the wear and tear on the cartilage and discs of the knee and hip joints. The increase amount of weight that lands on those joints throughout a run or jog puts added stress to the joints. Walking quickly may also increase the oxygen consumption and therefore the calories burned without adding stress to the knee and hip joints; a happy medium that may help athletes to continue working out when the knees and hips are complaining from the pounding.
Treadmill Running Versus Outdoors
Passionate runners love to run. They run rain, shine, snow and sun. But sometimes the weather is just too hot or cold, or it’s too dark or not safe. Or sometimes the runner just wants a change of pace. So what are the differences between treadmill running versus outdoors?
There are pro’s and con’s to running on the treadmill and outdoors. Some of these differences are obvious while others are not so obvious. On the treadmill the machine actually helps to move the feet back which means the workload is actually less than working outdoors. Running on the treadmill means you don’t have to put up with the outdoor weather but you also don’t have the advantage of the changing scenery to distract you from the perceived exertion.
Another pro to working out on the treadmill is that you can stop your run anytime and you don’t have to walk home. You can do your workout during your favorite television show. With the new treadmills that are available today you can even have your own television on the individual treadmill.
But treadmill running also has con’s to the process. There is no change of scenery to distract you, the route is the same each day, you can’t run turns and you can’t practice running down hill.
Running outdoors has some issues with personal safety, running through the weather and it’s necessary to have some clothing for the weather. But running outdoors also gives a runner the ability to change routes, change scenery, run downhill, around corners and with others. Running outdoors can be more motivating, burn more calories and runners report more feelings of accomplishment with running outdoors.
Treadmill running can reach an even plateau by making changes to the way that you use the treadmill to achieve your goals. You should first realize that running on the treadmill with 0% incline your exertion is less than running outdoors because the belt helps to bring your foot backwards. The way to incorporate that into your run is to increase the incline to 1% to make up for the decreased exertion.
Next find something to use as a distraction. Many people find that they can run further outside than they can on the treadmill because the perceived exertion is greater on the treadmill. Researchers have found that runners who use a distraction, such as music, television or listening to books on tape, can provide enough of a distraction to keep your mind off of any perceived pain or discomfort.
And finally if you are training for a specific event use the treadmill for only 40% of your training. But if you aren’t able to train outdoors for 60% of the time then take heart. There have been athletes who have trained more than 60% on the treadmill but still go on to compete effectively at their sport.
Treadmill running versus outdoor running is really a choice only if you make adjustments to the running environment you’re in.
Temperature Affect on Running
Whether you like to admit it or not, the weather has an effect on your running and your performance. But there are tips and tricks to running both in the cold and the heat. It isn’t everyone who lives in a temperate climate.
The temperature affect on running in the cold will affect the warmth and flexibility of the muscles in the legs and arms making an injury more likely if the muscles are stretched quickly. When running in the cold the runner should pay attention to several factors.
Clothing: Run with a hat to retain heat in your body. No worries about hat head – just keep your body warm. Use layered clothing to provide the best warmth possible. Look for material that will wick moisture away from your body allowing it to evaporate. Your outer layer should be gor-tex to allow for evaporation of sweat and will allow you to stay warmer.
Decrease your outdoor running schedule: cold weather will negatively impact your immune system. Try to incorporate more treadmill running and halve your outdoor running schedule until the weather warms a bit.
Safety: Take a cell phone with you and let others know where you are. Snow and ice will increase your risk of fall and injury. Being caught out in the cold without a means of contacting friends or family can increase your risk of permanent injury to your limbs from frostbite.
Protect your skin: Your skin will take a beating from the cold. Use Vaseline over your face and thighs. The Vaseline will help to protect the skin from the cold and will keep the clothing from rubbing against your skin and causing sores.
Running in the wind: Running in the wind can be a real chore. Start your run out into the wind so as you are tired coming home you’ll have the wind to your back. Check the weather before you head out for the wind chill factor. If the temperature dips below zero or the wind chill below 20 below zero use the treadmill instead.
Don’t over dress: You will warm up as you get moving. Overdressing will cause you to overheat in the cold. Dress as if it’s 20 degrees warmer outside than it is. Heading into the wind you’ll be chilly at first but you’ll warm up quickly.
Don’t forget the sun: A problem people usually think of only in the summer but the winter sun can be just as damaging to the skin and eyes. Wear sunglasses and sunscreen when you head out in either the summer or winter.
Running in the heat has it’s own challenges. The temperature affect on running in the heat has some other issues that affect the runner. The weather must be accounted for with lighter clothing and material that also wicks moisture away from the body. When the temperature reaches 90-100F there is an increased risk of heat cramps and exhaustion; at 105 and above the possibilities of stroke and exhaustion are highly likely.
Running in the heat will result in overheating, even if there isn’t a risk of heat stroke. Overheating results from inadequate cooling when the body is unable to keep up with the evaporation from the skin. The body heats up internally and the skin can’t keep up with the cooling process because the blood is being used by the muscles to keep you running. Either the muscles use the blood to keep you moving or the skin uses the blood to cool your body. And when the weather is very hot this tug-of-war can result in overheating and heat exhaustion.
Part of the problem with running in the heat is dehydration. Dehydration is the loss of water from the body through sweat. When we sweat there is water and electrolytes lost which changes the way that our body functions. When working out in the heat for longer than 30 minutes consider a sports drink that replaces water and electrolytes.
Remember that thirst isn’t a good indicator of hydration. Once you are thirsty you are already low on fluid. People who are suffering from dehydration will experience an elevated heart rate during and after the run and urine that is dark yellow. Drink water consistently until the urine is clear. During your run drink between 4 and 8 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes of your run.
Runners can acclimate to the heat and humidity but it takes approximately 2 weeks for the body to run efficiently in warmer weather. Run during the early morning hours to avoid as much of the heat as possible. There may be higher humidity but the air will be cleaner because the ozone levels increase as the day progresses and decreases in the early evening. As a runner the times to avoid are between noon and 3 pm.
Running in the heat may cause problems with heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Athletes who suffer from heat cramps will experience muscle cramps or spasms, heavy sweating and a normal body temperature.
Athletes who are experiencing heat exhaustion will find themselves sweating profusely, a drop in blood pressure, normal or slightly elevated temperature, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, decreased coordination and possible fainting.
Athletes who experience heat stroke will exhibit high body temperatures, lack of sweating, red skin and altered consciousness. This is a medical emergency! People who are at greatest risk are those athletes who are exercising in hot humid conditions, are older, obese, wearing heavy clothing or running with an infection, fever or taking certain types of medications such as beta blockers, diuretics and amphetamines.
The temperature affect on running can be deterred when the runner and athlete takes full advantage of the technological advances in clothing and hydration as well as understanding the risks of injury in both cold and hot weather. It is most important that the athlete be aware of their surroundings and make accommodations that keep them healthy enough to run another day.
Hip and Groin Running Strain
Runners have the potential for several different types of injuries from bone fractures, sprains, strains and tears. One that is common are hip groin running strains. Avid runners and joggers love their sport. They run in all types of weather, under conditions that most athletes wouldn’t consider participating in. And yet it is just these conditions that put runners at greater risk than they would normally be for a hip groin running strain.
These types of strains affect the adductor muscles which are located on the inner thigh. They are responsible for bringing the legs together and stabilizing the hips. There are actually 6 different muscles that make up the adductor muscle group. These muscles act in a fan like fashion to fully stabilize the hip and allow the leg to have a full circular range of motion.
People who experience this type of injury may find that the pain is immediate after a specific movement or that there is chronic discomfort that results in immediate pain with just the slightest wrong move.
A hip groin running strain is often graded by the physician who evaluates the athlete. These evaluations are beneficial when the tear is grade 2 or greater and you feel you may need physical therapy for rehabilitation. Evaluation and rehabilitation with a physical therapist can improve your chances of a successful healing and return to athletic activity.
One way of confirming your hip strain is to test it at home with a stretch or contraction. Using a slight stretch: sit on the floor with the soles of your feet together and legs apart. Is there pain as you progressively push down through the knees?
Using resistance to contraction place a firm object, like a ball, between your knees and squeeze. If this hurts as well it’s a strain or chronic injury to the adductor muscles.
Help the healing process by laying off of the activities that cause a painful response and incorporate ice and rest into your rehabilitation. Ice the area that hurts 3 times a day for 20 minutes to help decrease the inflammation and help the muscles to heal faster.
You can also help to heal faster through self cross friction massage. Using a moisturizer to help your hands glide across your skin massage at a 90 degree angle to the way the muscle runs. In other words, massage your muscle from side to side instead of up and down the leg. This will help to decrease the amount of scar tissue that forms as the muscle tears heal.
Once the pain begins to decrease begin to incorporate stretches into your daily routine to help the muscles to stretch as they heal. This stretching will also help decrease the adhesions or scars that form as the muscle heals. This will also help increase the range of motion in those muscles to decrease the probability that this injury will happen again.
Gradually increase your activity from this hip groin running strain being mindful of any pain or symptoms that return. The best way to improve your rehabilitation is prevention of another strain. Continue your stretches and strengthening to help prevent this strain from happening again.
Running After a Hamstring Injury or Strain
Running and jogging are popular activities that help people to stay in shape and improve their cardiovascular health. But, as with any other physical activity there are injuries that can sideline the athlete for days if not weeks. Sometimes these injuries can even sideline a runner for months.
One of the injuries that can plague runners and joggers are hamstring strains and pulls. Oftentimes people ask when they can begin running after hamstrain injury but the correct term is a hamstring injury. However, the injury is a ‘strain’ so it’s quite understandable how this can be confusing.
The hamstring muscles are located in the back of the thigh. There are three different muscles that comprise the group of muscles called the hamstring muscles. This group of muscles so called because if they are cut the person is essentially ‘hamstrung’ or unable to walk.
The three muscles are the biceps femoris, semitendonous and semimembranosus and are attached at the bony prominence in the buttocks and the back of the knee. They are responsible for the power behind each running or walking stride. Many sprinters have well developed hamstrings and quadriceps (muscles on the front of the thighs) to provide explosive power out of the blocks.
A hamstring injury happens when the runner isn’t well warmed up, stretches too vigorously or as a result of chronic stress. As a result the runner will have pain when the knee bends and the thigh moves backwards relative to the trunk of the body.
Running after a hamstring injury will depend upon the severity of the injury. These strains are rated as first, second or third degree injuries. A first degree injury will result in some minor tears to the muscle that will heal well with rest and ice.
A second degree strain to the hamstring muscle experiences moderate tears with pain that generally covers a larger area of the muscle than a first degree tear. The muscle will be stiff and weak and may be black and blue. A third degree tear will result in wide-spread bruising and a balling up of the muscle may be felt or palpated with the hand. Third degree strains are less common than first or second degree.
Athletes who suffer from a hamstring injury will follow a rehabilitation program that includes rest, ice, compression, elevation, mild stretching and strengthening exercises. Running after a hamstring injury is successful after the runner waits until the injury has healed completely.
Second and third degree tears can happen easily when first degree tears don’t heal completely and the runner returns to activity too early. This increased activity will only sideline the athlete for longer periods of time than originally anticipated.
Athletes may be disappointed by a hamstring injury because of the time away from the road or track that they must pay in order to run again, but they will be rewarded with stronger legs and faster running when they follow a strong rehabilitation program that heals, strengthens and stretches the muscles.
Is it OK to Run with a Knee Replacement?
Running is an activity that engenders loyalty and perseverance. Runners are often accused of being addicted to their sport and others call it getting a runners ‘high’. What ever the explanation athletes who choose to run do anything in their power to continue the activity, well past the time when their physicians tell them to stop.
Running with knee replacement may just be that time when continuing the sport becomes more of a problem for the athlete than the stress and grief of stopping. And unfortunately there really aren’t options for running with knee replacements.
In order to fully understand why running with knee replacement isn’t a good idea you first have to understand how the knee and subsequent knee replacement works. The knee absorbs much of the weight distribution as a person walks and runs. As a means of cushioning, the body has cartilage and discs between the bones so that bone doesn’t rub on bone with each step.
As people age the cartilage and discs can become injured, damaged and fragmented. This causes the bone to rub on bone as people walk and run. This condition can’t be changed with medication, injections or surgical repair. Instead physicians will recommend a knee replacement to decrease the pain and improve function.
Once a knee joint has been replaced the joint isn’t as strong or repairable as the bodies own joint. In a study of hip and knee replacement published by Mayo Clinic, the surgeons did recommended sports which included swimming, sailing, scuba diving, golfing and bowling while those that weren’t recommended include running, water-skiing, football, baseball, basketball, hockey, handball, karate, soccer and racquetball. Basically it boils down to sports that are high or moderate impact sports aren’t recommended because they cause damage to the implanted knee joint. While the damage to the joint doesn’t result in pain it does result in decreased function and subsequent need for another replacement.
In another study in 1996 physiatrists (doctors in physical medicine and rehabilitation) at the Mayo Clinic the doctors were much less likely to recommend a person not go back to sports that included high or moderate impact. Both studies showed the difference in physician recommendation to their patients and also the expectations of the ability of the implanted joint to perform under high stress situations. In other studies the effect of high and moderate impact sports has been shown to be deleterious on the longevity of the knee replacement joints.
Although the pain you felt before the surgery has been eradicated the mechanical limitations of the replaced metal and plastic knee don’t hold up to the impact of running with knee replacement. The bottom line is that the replacement isn’t as durable as the original equipment.
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