If I run into my 60's or 70's, will I damage my knees?

Playing football and basketball my knees were always in trouble. Since I started LD running at age 45 (I am now 55), I haven't had a single problem with my knees. (Don't ask about hips and ankles).

I wouldn't put it quite so harshly but i was thinking the same thing...if i make it all the way to my 70s and then I finally develop bad knees... I will consider that a victory

faster than you think wrote:

If you run into your 60's or 70's, it doesn't matter if you damage your knees, you'll be dead soon anyways.

Another plug for the Stanford study:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080627.wljockology27/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/

"Of course, the decision doesn't have to be strictly utilitarian. As one of the Vienna study participants (who was preparing to run his 37th marathon) put it in a recent e-mail to lead author Wolfgang Krampla, "Even if minor aches and pains occur over the years, the gain in joie de vivre far outweighs them.""

Don't let this BS myth scare you away from all benefits the sport can give you. Run smart and you'll be fine.

Could be worse. You might stop running and end up with bad knees anyway.

My doc told me this, "If running keeps you from getting fat, then the one hour you spend running per day will cause far less damage than 24 hours a day carrying 100 extra pounds on your knees."

I ran 50-60 miles a week into my 50's, then I started breaking down - hamstrings, back, a few other things. Last summer, after a great 5 miler, my left knee started hurting. My doctor described it like dry wall cracking and breaking away - torn cartilage. I had the microfracture surgery, also known as "bleeding the bone" three months ago. There was a thread a while back on that type of surgery. Mechanics worked against me - an excessive pronator my whole career. During rehab, I have done more biking, elliptical etc. I still hope to return to running in some fashion at the end of the rehab. No guarantees; I am the oldest person my surgeon has tried this on. I would not trade my lifestyle or my competitive career for anything, and despite my current problems, I think the odds are much more on your side to have the running lifestyle.

God Bless you Ed Whitlock and the unbelievable times you have run; getter better and get back out there. You are an inspiration to so many.

If you have poor form, the odds can be high. If you have good form, the odds are ZERO.

m60 wrote:

My doctor described it like dry wall cracking and breaking away

I've never heard of anyone with dry wall in their knees. You must have a unique anatomy.

J.R. wrote:

m60 wrote:

My doctor described it like dry wall cracking and breaking away

I've never heard of anyone with dry wall in their knees. You must have a unique anatomy.

Thank you for the stupidest and most unfunny post of the day.

Be more worried about your BACK!!!

That's all I gotta say....

I herniated a couple of discs in my 31st year of running and man, it's beena nightmare.

Do the core, do the stretching and even do some...uh...well, I'll just say it.... cross training (every once in a while)