Busting the running myth: Is it bad on your body?

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - When one hears of running, there might be an assortment of thoughts that come to mind such as: fatigue, exhaustion, taxing, boring and even pain.

A common train of thought is that running hurts the body. According to Chiropractor Seth Hudson, that is not exactly true.

“The myth is that running is bad for your knees, that it can create arthritis,” Hudson said. “Technically, doing anything the wrong way can lead to degeneration and arthritis.”

Hudson is no stranger to running, he is a marathoner himself. Running is something he suggests to his patients.

Hudson said it’s good for the cardiovascular system, but that is not all. “Most of the research now is showing that running is very very beneficial for stress and anxiety, for blood pressure, for many other types of almost any type of health issue drastically, your chances of getting it are almost cut in half by exercising, jogging 20-30 minutes a day,” Hudson said.

Running correctly includes getting the proper footwear, and there are specific local shops to do just that.

Bryan Kelpe, owner of The Missouri Running Company, said the proper shoes all depend on the person.

“We go through several assessments to get to know the runner, or the walker, so we can reduce the risk of injury,” Kelpe said. That includes looking at support, arch type, leg alignment, past injuries and what the goals are. Another major portion of proper running, is form.

“Just marching in place,” Kelpe said. “You know, marching in place and letting them see where their foot lands, and then having them kind of remember, have that as a trigger whenever they’re out running.”

It is inevitable , however, that you will feel the aches and pains of exercise. Hudson said to ice, stretch, using a foam roller and listen to your body.

“If something is not feeling normal, reach out to either a clinic like ours or your doctor to refer you to a physical therapist because there are many in most areas that treat this kind of stuff all the time,” Hudson said. “Running is a little bit more of a mental hurdle for people, they think they’re going to get injured and there’s many things we can do to prevent that from happening.”

Copyright 2021 KFVS. All rights reserved.