Are there benefits to running/jogging compared to other exercise, cycling for instance?

[Circle_On_Legs]

I have just completed W7. Keep being told I shouldn't be running as its not good for knees, even if I didn't have an injury - which seems strange as the app is NHS!! I thought high impact exercise is good for maintaining or improving bone strength, especially for the older ones like me. I shall complete the program, no doubt about it, because I am stubborn, and probably stupid. I will also carry on with exercise after 9 weeks as would be silly to stop. However, on another post I explained that 2 months ago I tore the meniscus in my knee. I didn't know it was torn until last week. I have done 7 weeks and my knees don't hurt when walking or running. They ache a lot when sitting.

[Hidden]

Angela Rippon did a report with a sports physio/ scientist on TV which concluded that running is a good exercise in later life, better than something like tennis or dancing for the knee and hip joints, contrary to what people might think. Whether you should be doing it with the particular knee condition is something your medic would be best placed to advise - I tend to take no notice of lay people with no expertise, and often no experience, telling me what I should and shouldn't do for my health, preferring to read evidenced research for myself.

[Circle_On_Legs Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Avocado - person who thinks like me Even my GP didn't tell me not to run.

However I see the orthopaedic consultant next week. He may well have something to say on the subject. The scans also showed up OA and I believe running is actually beneficial for OA. Not that I actually run fast, its very light - someone posted a few weeks ago to say its called the 'running shuffle' and yes having watched the video of that - its what I do. My brisk walk if probably faster. I have only watched Angela Rippon when she did the Dementia programs. I will see if I can find the other one on iPlayer. Can you remember how long ago it was?

[Hidden in reply to Circle_On_Legs]

google.co.uk/url?sa=t&sourc...

Try this link - I googled angela rippon on running ( article on manflu too on same program 🤣)

[Circle_On_Legs Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Avocado. Sadly not available on iPlayer any more. I will try YouTube

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

I strongly believe it depends on what state your knees are in to begin with. I summarise it thus:

- running is good for good knees but bad for bad knees.

You're absolutely right ... if running is so bad for the knees... why does our NHS promote C25K?

If you saw Mariella Frostrup's BBC doc on the menopause on Sunday evening (iPlayer if not), then you'd have seen the effect of running & cycling compared with no exercise ... with running proving the most beneficial re: bone density. Any word on it being bad for knees? None.

BBC's Dr Michael Moseley (he of 5:2 diet & lots more) ... a firm believer/advocate of 3x 10min per day of brisk walking (he, quite rightly, rubbishes the 10,000 steps business) ... but also ... as part of his 'The Truth About ...' series did an episode on '... Getting Fit'. He looked at an academic study that showed that for over a fixed distance, running exerts LESS force on the body than walking, due to a lower contact time with the ground. Fascinating.

I could say a lot more but I'll leave it there for the moment.

John

PS Good for you!

[Circle_On_Legs Graduate in reply to John_W]

Thank you John_W I love watching the type of programmes you have mentioned and I am a Michael Mosley fan too. My immediate predicament is answered in your mantra 'running is bad for bad knees' and as you have no doubt worked out from my original post, I'm choosing to ignore it for the moment. I see the orthopaedic consultant soon and no doubt he will have something to say on the subject

I am rather interested in the 'lot more you could say' and I will catch Mariela on iPlayer too.

[Circle_On_Legs Graduate in reply to John_W]

I am also impressed that you were watching a program about the menopause!!

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Circle_On_Legs]

Ex-wife went through it pretty badly and my new partner going through it (nowhere near as bad) ... as I joke to menopausal women at work ... "*DON'T* talk to me about the menopause - you have *NO* idea what I'm going through!"

Probably me that posting the running shuffle video!

"Truth about ... getting fit" is here: bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09qjl7d - .... scroll forward to 38 mins in

[Circle_On_Legs Graduate in reply to John_W]

I have MM Truth about getting fit on iPlayer right now.

[Circle_On_Legs Graduate in reply to Circle_On_Legs]

Watched both those programs - the one about exercise and the other about the menopause. Both extremely interesting and great to hear about the latest research re running and knees and also that running is better than cycling for maintaining bone density. The findings about dance classes was extremely interesting. From memory I think that the program about dementia presented by Angela Rippon also demonstrated that dance is very good for memory.

[Rebounder in reply to John_W]

Excellent and informative reply 👍🏽

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Running is good for joints... so long as it’s gentle and controlled at first then they will strengthen. With any injury we have to go back to square one a little. My knees became and remain pain free for the first time in 30 years... I have injured my ankle, so when I start back it’s gentle again for a few weeks while it strengthens back up,

[Circle_On_Legs Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

You are being very restrained not exercising on your injured ankle. I am kind of frightened to break the program for fear I won't start it again, especially having got this far. I have just watched two Horizon episodes recommended by John_W above and was very pleased with the findings for running. I am also thrilled that I did the fitness test discussed and did 10 sit stand ups in just over 11 seconds. This is good for a man under 35 not for a female over 55 which would be 19 seconds or less. I am sure the C25K has contributed to that result, but as I hadn't done the exercise before I have no way to know.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Circle_On_Legs]

It certainly raises the fitness rapidly... I can do so much more now than I could in June, and all I did was quit smoking and start running. I’m missing running, but I also know it’s not years away and the longer I’m good for the more running I’ll be able to do.

You’ve come so far... and that means that should you have to stop and then come back to it, you’ll have the advantage that you know you can do it!

[Dazeydog Graduate]

The recent programme on BBC about the menopause found less osteoporosis in women who run versus women who cycle. Better bones in the runners, even if our knees ache! I run in patella supports sometimes if my knees are achy, and long compression socks always, like Paula Radcliffe ( and that's where the comparison ends...) !

[Circle_On_Legs Graduate in reply to Dazeydog]

Ha ha. Apart from going outside there are no other comparisons between Paula and me.

[Circle_On_Legs Graduate in reply to Dazeydog]

How long are the compression socks. I have some as had leg ulcer earlier this year. Never heard of patela supports. I shall look that up but perhaps I should get K Tape. Or rock tape.

[Dazeydog Graduate in reply to Circle_On_Legs]

Knee length socks. From a company called physix Via Amazon.

[Ceri1969 Graduate]

Check out the bbc mike Mosley exercise reports which dispels the myth that running is bad for your knees.

Humans are designed to run not walk

[Circle_On_Legs Graduate in reply to Ceri1969]

Thank you. I watched that program after John W above referred to it. Very interesting. I have OA in knees and torn meniscus and constantly being told running isn't helping. I'm still running. Seeing consultant this week.