Is Running Bad for You?

For most people, running is good for their health. It builds cardiovascular fitness, and research links running with a lower risk of early death.

Injuries are a real concern, though, particularly when you add more distance or speed than you’re used to.

You don’t need to train for a marathon to benefit. The evidence below looks at what running does for your heart and joints, alongside the training habits that can make injury more likely.

At Active Health Clinic Glasgow, we help runners deal with pain and work out how to adjust their training. Our chartered physiotherapists assess running injuries, while our sports massage therapists work with runners who want help with muscle tightness.

Heart health and the other health benefits of running – By sports massage Glasgow experts

Longevity and the cardiovascular system

Regular running can support your heart health as you get older.

Short runs can be worthwhile, so you don’t need to cover long distances or run every day to benefit.

Running can help your fitness, bones and mood

Running is aerobic exercise. It makes your heart and lungs work harder to supply your muscles with oxygen.

As your fitness improves, everyday activities such as walking uphill or climbing stairs can feel easier.

Weight-bearing activity such as running can help maintain bone density.

The mental health benefits of running can include better sleep and improved mood, although how you feel after a run will vary.

Running’s impact on your knees

Is running bad for your knees?

Running isn’t automatically bad for your knees, and arthritis isn’t an inevitable result of being a runner.

How much running you can comfortably manage will depend on your symptoms, fitness and any previous injuries.

Running can aggravate existing arthritis symptoms, though, and persistent knee pain is worth having assessed before you build up.

Why runners can get injured

The injury cycle

Overuse injuries can develop when repeated training leaves too little time for recovery.

Adding longer or faster runs puts extra demands on your bones, muscles and tendons before they’ve adapted to the work.

Tendon problems and stress fractures are examples of overuse injuries that can develop in distance runners.

Risk factors and common injuries

During an assessment, we’ll ask what has changed in your running recently, from the routes and shoes you use to how often you train.

Previous injuries, reduced strength and poor recovery are also relevant risk factors.

We regularly see runner’s knee, shin splints, Achilles tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis. We also treat hip and gluteal pain, along with calf and hamstring strains.

How much running is too much

Where the health benefits level off

There isn’t one weekly distance that suits everyone.

If you’re running for general fitness, aim for a routine you can keep up comfortably.

Longer or faster runs may suit a race goal, but you don’t have to keep adding miles simply to stay healthy.

Where the injury rate climbs

Be cautious about making one run much longer than anything you’ve done recently, especially after a break.

Even if your breathing feels comfortable, your legs may not be ready for the extra distance.

Weekly mileage and the longest run

Check individual runs as well as your weekly mileage.

The same total distance can be spread across several short outings or concentrated in one long run, which asks more of you in a single session.

When you increase your mileage, consider how that changes your longest run too.

Signs you are running too much

Pay attention if your usual runs start feeling harder and your running performance drops, particularly alongside persistent tiredness or poor sleep.

A resting heart rate that’s higher than usual can also be a reason to look at how you’re recovering.

These changes can have causes other than training. They don’t diagnose overtraining syndrome, but they are a reason to ease back and seek advice if they persist.

Overtraining syndrome involves a prolonged fall in performance with symptoms such as fatigue and mood changes.

It needs a medical assessment, rather than assuming that a couple of days off will resolve it.

How to follow a training plan and help reduce the risk of injury

Build up with a running plan

Choose a running plan that starts from what you can comfortably do now.

If a planned run is a big jump from your recent distances, adjust it rather than forcing yourself to complete it.

Include easier weeks as well as harder ones, with some shorter runs even while you’re building towards a longer distance.

Warm up before you run with a brisk walk or gentle movement, and allow time to slow down and stretch afterwards.

Strength, running shoes and surfaces

Include strength training alongside your runs.

One or two sessions a week give you time to work on the muscles that support your running, without needing to make every training session another run.

Check your running shoes for worn soles or flattened cushioning; a mileage figure alone won’t tell you when every pair needs replacing.

Softer surfaces, such as tracks or smooth dirt paths, may feel more comfortable, but introduce unfamiliar routes gradually.

Cross-training such as swimming or cycling gives injury-prone runners more aerobic exercise with less impact, though it doesn’t replace rest.

Sports massage and recovery between runs

If increasing your running leaves your calves, thighs or hips feeling tight, sports massage may help with that discomfort.

During a sports massage, our therapist works on the affected muscles using techniques such as sustained pressure and friction, stretching or trigger point work.

If you’d like regular appointments, we usually suggest fortnightly or monthly sessions for maintenance, and sometimes weekly sessions during heavier training.

Your therapist will discuss what suits you based on your running and your response to treatment.

At your first appointment with Active Health Clinic, we’ll ask about your health, any recent injuries and what you’d like help with.

Tell your therapist if the pressure feels uncomfortable so they can adjust it.

If your massage therapist thinks the pain needs further assessment, they can refer you to one of our physiotherapists within the clinic.

When to have a niggle checked by a physiotherapist

Some stiffness after an unfamiliar or harder run can be expected. Pain that repeatedly returns, swelling or discomfort that changes how you run is worth getting checked.

In a running injury assessment, we’ll discuss when the pain appears and how it affects your training.

We’ll also ask about previous injuries and your goals, and examine your strength, mobility and movement.

Your treatment may include hands-on physiotherapy and strength and conditioning exercises.

We’ll explain how to adjust your training and set out the stages of your return to running.

Questions about running every day and your health

Is it okay to run every day?

You don’t need to run every day to benefit. A beginner or someone returning after injury will usually need more recovery between runs than an experienced runner. Build rest days into your week, and keep easier runs easy rather than making every session a hard effort.

Are marathons bad for you?

Not for someone with the health, time and training to prepare. A gradual build-up helps the body adapt, but it doesn’t remove every risk. Previous injuries and sudden jumps in mileage both raise the chance of getting hurt, so plan for recovery as well as long runs.

Should I stop running if my knees hurt?

Stop a run that brings on knee pain, particularly if it makes you limp or gets worse as you continue. Whether you need a longer break depends on the cause. A physiotherapist can assess it and advise whether modified training is appropriate.

Is running good for you compared with walking?

Both can improve your fitness. Running uses more energy per minute, while walking is easier to keep up for longer. Choose the form of exercise you enjoy and can do comfortably.

Book a running injury assessment with Active Health Clinic

If pain keeps returning when you start to run, or you’re unsure how to resume training after an injury, we can help you work out the next steps.

For muscle tightness between sessions, you can also book a sports massage with our team.

Book online or call us on 07427 737 604 to arrange an appointment at our Glasgow clinic.