Best response when someone say that running "ruins your joints"

I alternate between running and laying on the couch.

FriendlyLobo wrote:

Was talking to a friend last night who says she alternates running and swimming because her father said running ruins your joints. What are your favorite ways to respond to this obviously false statement?

ask them where joint pain ranks on causes of early death.

This.

https://news.byu.edu/news/study-running-actually-lowers-inflammation-knee-joints

Ever noticed how you feel stiff and crappy after sitting for so long? The above study seems to go a long way to shedding some light on that feeling for you.

My father in law hasn't done crap athletically, nor has he ever done any type of exercise since he was in college. Has had both hips and one knee replaced. Probably will need the other one replaced if he doesn't die first.

1- Best response: No response. She did not ask you to respond (according to what you wrote). So just a neutral presence and an awareness that it is not necessarily your job to correct every false belief held by others.

2- Next best response: "I understand." (with the same neutral presence and non-judgment of her lack of knowledge).

3- If you want to expend (waste) some energy and engage then you can say: "Can you ask your father where he read the study/scientific paper that supports this opinion and can I get a copy of this study/scientific paper?"

With running and my job...for an example; "Doesn't your knees hurt? Have you had a knee replacement ?" And w/my job...I get from patients.. "I'm a hard stick", "I have terrible veins", "I'm nervous you won't be able to get an IV in me," " are you new in your skill?"...etc ...my response? I tell them...Bring On The Challenge!!

Despite the usual waste-of-time comments on this thread, there are some useful ones, like the Stanford study. So... can anyone dredge up studies of the effects of HIGH mileage running on hips/knees. (I recall a thread - or several - on cardiac effects of high mileage.) Two of my friends and I were at the top of the road racing scene in Miami from the late '60s to the early '80s. Did lots of miles, mostly fast. None of us has been able to run for many years. I have had both hips replaced.

No question in my mind that running long term is enormously beneficial, as the cited studies show. But I would love to see the data on the joints of long term high mileage runners. Are my old running buddies and I really statistical outliers?

Is that right? Well I guess I'll find out.

Gainesville/Miami guy wrote:

Despite the usual waste-of-time comments on this thread, there are some useful ones, like the Stanford study. So... can anyone dredge up studies of the effects of HIGH mileage running on hips/knees. (I recall a thread - or several - on cardiac effects of high mileage.) Two of my friends and I were at the top of the road racing scene in Miami from the late '60s to the early '80s. Did lots of miles, mostly fast. None of us has been able to run for many years. I have had both hips replaced.

No question in my mind that running long term is enormously beneficial, as the cited studies show. But I would love to see the data on the joints of long term high mileage runners. Are my old running buddies and I really statistical outliers?

Late 50s old stiff who's been running consistently for 35 yrs. Have had bilateral knee pain over the last few years and sought a medical opinion. MRIs of both knees showed no degenerative changes to the articular cartilage and other structures as well. Diagnosis was PFPS, a common finding with older runners. OTOH, last year I ruptured the PTT of my ankle during a 5k. In addtion to the confirmed rupture, MRI detected a pretty good size osteochondral legion (arthritis) on the talus. This was a complete surprise and I'll eventually need an ankle replacement.

From some of the research I've seen any previous knee trauma and/or surgery can predispose the joint to OA. This anecdotally seems to be accurate as some of my running buddies over the years who have had to quit due to a knee replacement(s), have revealed a previous knee surgery (e.g., meniscectomy, ACL reconstruct) in their younger days (HS or college sports-related injury, accident).

Also, lighter body weight means less impact forces, which means less wear & tear to the joint over the years. This might not be a big deal with the young bucks, but it will if you continue to run well into your 50s, 60s & 70s. The older, heavier, stocky guys I know (myself included) have more reported joint problems than the very light, low BMI guys; anecdotally very obvious...who would have thought. Lol.

I can't say much on the hips & ankles, as there is less research as with the knees. I do know a few people in their 50s who have had hips replaced and remarkably continue to run. On my ankle OA, I've never had any previous trauma to the joint so it's a mystery.

I can think of several responses...

"Go fu#* yourself"

"And living will kill you"

"Lose some weight fatty"

"Swimming in a crater full of urine and chlorine tainted water doesn't really appeal to me"

The good evidence from long-term trials says that running is good for your joints