Maybe I am too heavy to be a runner?

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Maybe I'm too heavy to be a runner?
​Hmmmm...interesting question!
​I'd respond - what's too heavy?
There is a certain logic to think that heavier runners are more likely to get injured than their lighter friend. But some research actually shows this not to be the case! And you've got to admit that running would have to be one of the most effective weight loss exercises out there!


Fitness vs Fatness
Want to live longer? A recent paper in the Journal of Science and  Sports Medicine looked at fitness vs fatness.They worked out  that "Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a more powerful predictor of mortality than body mass index or adiposity, (how fat you are) and improving CRF is more important than losing body fat for reducing risk of cardiovascular disease!" They found that if overweight people wanted to live longer they were better off on focusing on improving  fitness than losing weight. 

"There is little downside to becoming more physically active, and the threshold for CRF necessary to yield significant health benefits is fairly modest and achievable by most adults. A focus on improving CRF through increased physical activity is a safer alternative for management of obesity and associated comorbidities."

Get Thee running! 

But hang on - won't I get injured?
Not necessarily. In a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine the researchers looked at the incidence of running-related injuries in over two thousand runners. And the only relationship they found between weight and injury was in female runners with a BMI less than 21 . These lightweight female runners were more likely to have tibial stress fractures and spine injuries than their heavier counterparts! Maybe their too skinny to run! The other interesting thing they found was men with a BMI higher than 26 and in shoes 4-6 months old were less likely to get injured!

Get Thee Running!

Don't runners have more issues with their knees?
No. In a recent paper conveniently titled Running and Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis they reviewed 153 previously published papers and found enough evidence to suggest that there was no association with running and osteoarthritis of the knee, The cool bit was if you are a runner you are less likely to have knee surgery compared to your non running friend

Get Thee Running!

So what should I do?
How you run, as well as how often you run are important. And if you are new to running alternating between walking and running small distances is a great place to start.   Running efficiently will put less stress on the body- so it's worth getting your run technique checked out by a running coach or health professional.

Also make sure your shoes aren't too old. If you are running regularly - change them every 6 months. Expensive? Yes, but it's better than getting injured.

Get Thee Running!