Fitness: Dispelling Myths

Too often, I have complained that my body started falling apart as soon as I reached my mid 30s.  I kept injuring myself, so I assumed that I had already run all the miles my aging body could take. It wasn't until after the birth of my 2nd child, that severe neck, back, and knee pain compelled me to see dozens of health professionals for a diagnosis and for rehabilitation.  Was my body giving out or were complications from child birth and inadequate injury prevention on my part working together to expose underlying issues I never knew I had before? I blamed my issues on age and on too much running.  Yet, the more I researched and asked questions of my doctors, the more I realized that neither age nor years of running were underlying causes of my pain.

Excuse #1:  I'm too old!

It's hard to blame a lack of fitness on age when you consider Ernestine Shepherd.  At age 56, she decided it was time to get fit, and now at age 74 (yes, seventy-four!), she is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest female body builder ever!  Having been trained by a former Mr. Universe, she is now a physical trainer herself who inspires others with her motto, "Determined, Dedicated, and Disciplined." She sprints though 5K races and also runs full marathons.  She can bench press 150 pounds.  She is truly amazing, but she gives all credit and glory to God.  Here is an inspiring video about her produced by CBN.com:


Excuse #2:  I don't run because it causes injury and is bad for my knees.

Several family members and friends have suggested that all those years of running have caused my pains. So, except for a few months of hard training last fall, I have dramatically reduced my running frequency, speed, distance, and intensity.  While trying to recover from a patellae tracking disorder due to tight IT bands, I have done quite a bit of research looking for a study proving that running ruins the joints.

What I am finding, however, is that studies show no correlation at all between running and the development of osteoarthritis later on in life.  Running actually protects the knee. The repetitive forces on the knee may cause tiny splinters in the bones and running does increase risk for some injuries, but experts agree that the benefits far outweigh the risks.  Check out this article, Is Running Bad For Your Knees?  Maybe Not, or this article by Rick Morris for more information:   However, special attention should be taken to help avoid injury, especially for someone like me who has scoliosis, leg length differences, and flat feet.   Some suggestions for injury prevention include:

• Use proper mechanics!  Land on the ball of your foot instead of the heel.
• Run with a smooth gait and avoid over striding.
• Choose soft surfaces such as a grass, dirt or asphalt.  Avoid concrete sidewalks.
• Run with proper footwear.  For me, that has meant wearing shoes with lots of stability and support designed for pronators with a very expensive custom made foot stabilizer in each shoe.  Orthopedists and trainers are now recommending running barefoot or in barefoot style running shoes like five finger or Nike Free Run to increase natural ankle and foot strength and stability, but I would do this very gradually (maybe 1/4 mile max per day at first) and under careful guidance from an expert so as to avoid plantar fasciitis. 
• Do not run every day.  Cross training is essential for prevention of overuse injuries.
• Incorporate strength training and especially focus on strengthening the calf muscles.
• Use a foam roller regularly (for me, 2-3 times per day) to roll out tight muscles and break down scar tissue.
• Vary running workouts.  Do not always focus on time or distance, but strive to reach or maintain a target heart rate.

When injury happens, then running becomes bad for you, right?  Even that answer depends on the injury.  Tight IT bands can actually be loosened by running short distances, but it is never wise to run through pain.  I'm not running at all right now, but many who suffer from iliotibial band syndrome still run approximately 25% of their usual distance at an easy pace.  Taking extended breaks from any form of exercise will increase your injury risk when you start back, so doctors encourage patients to stay active in whatever way that does not cause pain or cause further injury.

Conclusions

1. Do not use old age as an excuse for not pursuing physical fitness.
2. Don't avoid running out of fear that it may damage your joints, but do consult a doctor.
3. Whenever you exercise, focus on using proper form.  I'm in the process of learning more about Chi Running to help improve my form.
4. Variety is essential for injury prevention.
5. Do incorporate strength training.