Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

npr.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

111–120 of 151 posts

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#111

Post by serpix »

jfoutz wrote: post #20

> [Lee concludes his data] "don't support that more is worse. But more may not be better." [Williams concludes] 40 miles a week [...] were 26 percent less likely to develop coronary heart disease than those running just 13 miles per week. So to sum up, running is way way better than doing nothing. More than 40 miles a week may have not only diminishing returns, but negative consequences. I'd guess most people here do…

Pulling 50 miles a week currently and plan on putting 10 more to that number.

I do it because my sanity needs it. Been through a very painful heartbreak after having the guts to fall in love again. Now back to square one again. But I want to get better and love again. and again.

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#112

Post by SunTzu55 »

greenspot wrote: post #75
nbschulze wrote: post #15

I ran 80-90 miles per week while in college and continued running 20-30 per week for a couple of years after until my knee stopped cooperating (I'm really looking forward to knee surgery in October). I have experienced some of the described symptoms (irregular heartbeat and etc), but wouldn't have done much differently. Honestly, this article basically boils down to 'do what your body can handle'. People are differen…

You write... > Some people can handle 120 miles per week after you... > ran 80-90 miles per week [...] I'm really looking forward to knee surgery in October) Apologies for being a bit harsh but the cause-effect-relationship is crystal clear. Extensive running puts a tremendous strain on our knees. You don't need to be a doctor, scientist or professional runner to know this. And just 20-30 miles/week over a long perio…

Older dude here. I've been running 30-40 miles a week for 20+ years, with no negative effect on my knees. Majority of people in my running group (some of whom are even older) fall into the same category: long-distance runners, minimal wear-and-tear. Obviously not everybody experiences 'payback' for a life of running; in fact, I'd argue a significant percentage of runners don't experience crippling side-effects over the course of their lifetimes.

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#113

Post by notacoward »

jpmattia wrote: post #39
jfoutz wrote: post #20

> [Lee concludes his data] "don't support that more is worse. But more may not be better." [Williams concludes] 40 miles a week [...] were 26 percent less likely to develop coronary heart disease than those running just 13 miles per week. So to sum up, running is way way better than doing nothing. More than 40 miles a week may have not only diminishing returns, but negative consequences. I'd guess most people here do…

> what a crazy time commitment running 40 miles a week actually is. Absolutely. 52 yo here, averaging about 15 miles/week running + 4-7 miles/week hiking. It takes major dedication just to work that amount in, I have no idea how I'd spin up to do 40 mi/week. And as far as I'm concerned: The cardio benefit is pretty minuscule compared to what it does for the head.

I'm 51, and I only run a little more than half that much. On the other hand, distance only affects the on-road time. When you factor in getting ready and cooling down and stretching and dealing with gear and everything else, I probably spend more than an hour a day on average.

Then again, it's something that just has to be done. Some form of exercise is necessary to stay healthy and sane. I need to sleep and bathe, I need to do housework and pay bills, I need to do all that other adult stuff . . . and I need to exercise. Any option will take time. Like every other obligatory thing, that means less time reading or surfing the web or playing video games or watching TV or whatever. Oh well. Life's like that.

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#114

Post by [deleted] »

pg314 wrote: post #93
greenspot wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It is not clear that running is bad for the knees I wrote 'extensive running'

You didn't define 'extensive'. Is it 20-30 miles/week over a long period, which you claim is already way too much for the majority? If I read study [1] correctly the runners were running 3.5 hours a week at the beginning of the study, which would be around 20 miles/week. That same group had a lower incidence of osteoarthritis than the control group. Do you have any evidence to back up your claim?

[deleted]

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#115

Post by irongeek »

greenspot wrote: post #84
pg314 wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is not clear that running is bad for the knees. Recent studies ([1], [2]) find no evidence of any adverse effects, rather the contrary (lower incidence of knee osteoarthritis in the running group). One possible explanation is that the runners were less likely to put on weight over the years, leading to lower day-to-day stresses on the knees. [1] Eliza Chakravarty et al. "Long distance running and knee osteoarthrit…

> It is not clear that running is bad for the knees I wrote 'extensive running'

Where is the research you are citing? Running is not bad for the knees period. You do not define extensive or what you are basing your opinions on.

Bad knees can be the result of many, many things, including an injury which may have been the result of twisting your knee rising from a chair.

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#118

Post by witty_username »

saiya-jin wrote: post #102
bjterry wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know about that. From a pure physical health perspective (i.e. discounting convenience, cost and supposed mental health benefits), there are a bunch of exercises that are strictly superior to running. They provide all of the cardio benefits of running, but without the prevalence of joint injury when you crank up the time investment. Some good examples are swimming, biking, or using a rowing machine. I'm a big…

biking is one of the worst exercises out there. sure you save joints, but your back, neck and possibly erection will suffer instead. Got couple of colleagues/friends who have health issues exactly because of biking. and if you do road biking, depending on location, you are at mercy of car drivers on narrow roads. even if 99,9% are good and paying attention all the time, sooner or later someone won't. if you do other…

You can stand while bicycling.

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#119

Post by kevhsu »

dominotw wrote: post #116

Has anyone been able to beat knees, ankle, plantar, hip, it band issues while running for a considerable amount of time? Did you do anything different to achieve that?

see a physical therapist to figure out where you should increase strength in complementary muscle groups as well as fix flexibility issues. Also, making corrections to running form.

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#120

Post by qqw1qqw1 »

greenspot wrote: post #109
nbschulze wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think you know anything about the cause and effect relationship considering you have no idea who I am let alone what is wrong with me knee. I haven't been running like that since I was in college. I wore down cartilage in my knee while running through pain I had been having for a while. I wasn't taking care of myself the way I should have been. If you take the time and care to make sure you stay healthy, 20-3…

> I don't think you know anything about the cause and effect relationship considering you have no idea who I am let alone what is wrong with me knee. Why are you getting aggressive? You have your opinion, I have my opinion, no need to snap. > People are different, bodies are different Ok, I agree. But why do you then generalize yourself few sentences before and tell us that '20-30 miles a week is nothing' and treatin…

Except you still don't know what's the matter with his knee, and you definitely don't know what caused it. It seems a bit premature to assume that overtraining was the cause, and it's pretty ridiculous to imply that because some runners have hurt their knees, it is unsafe, or pointless.
Post reply on HN