we don't have it so bad wrote:
As a doctor, I occasionally see runners with some mild osteoarthritis or a nagging musculoskeletal injury. On rare occasion I see a runner with a debilitating injury (certainly at a lower rate than the general population.
Every single day I see sedentary people with infections requiring foot amputations, PAD that forces them to stop and rest every 30 feet due to relentless pain with exertion, and lower extremity edema that leads to weeping leg wounds and turns a simple walk to the bathroom into a challenge.
We don't have it too bad as far as "wacked" legs go.
Its also worth noting that x may not cause y, but it might exacerbate y in the right person. I think some folks who are prone to DJD may possibly benefit from not pounding every day on knees that are already becoming degenerative. So we are talking maybe that 60 y/o with a family history of DJD that is already suffering himself. It's logical that 10K extra cycles of axial loading on some degenerative knees might be damaging to an extent in that person?
I'm getting close to 60, can't run anymore as it makes my painful knee extremely painful. probably a bad sign, since cycling and swimming don't hurt at all.
I saw Frank Shorter about 8 years ago and he was straight up crippled. Could hardly walk. In fairness, its possible he may have been rehabbing a surgery. But for all we know he has a genetic susceptibility to OA. I believe he has had at least > or = to one TJR.