3 Things You Need to Know About Running
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We sort the running fact from fiction with elite runner Vlad Shatrov.
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Running puts extra stress and load on your joints. Fact
It’s still a common misconception that running is bad for your joints and causes your knees to “wear out” as you get older.While it is true that the force exerted upon your body and joints increases if you increase the load by walking (up to 3 times your body weight) and running (between 5-7 times your body weight), but remember that you spend less time on the ground as you run more quickly too and the overall forces per distance are about the same for walking and running.
So compared to walking – yes it does, but it isn’t necessarily bad for you or causing you injuries.
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If you’re a runner you can eat anything and look fit and healthy. Fiction
Yes and no. You can definitely eat more than someone that isn’t as active but within reason.Running won’t make you immune to weight gain especially if you are just running. A balanced diet and a balanced training schedule will always win over in the long run as a more efficient way of staying at a healthy weight with plenty of lean muscle to better support your joints.
Runners get injured - Fact
Research suggests as many as 40 to 50 precent of runners experience an injury on an annual basis. Common complaints among runners are shin splints, knee pain, Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis and illiotibial band syndrome. Many of these injuries can be prevented with cross training, proper running form and wearing shoes that fit your stride.
Providing yourself with adequate days off from running and progressively increasing mileage, rather than piling it all on at once, can also decrease your chance of injury, but the risk is always there.
Vlad Shatrov is an elite road and trail runner and the official trainer of the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival.
Follow him on Facebook and stay up-to-date with Runlab where hundreds of runners undertake weekly training sessions.
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