With the countless injuries caused by running, one has to wonder if the human foot and knee were ever meant to take such punishment? Other parts of the body may suffer hidden trauma. It seems that running evolved for short sprints (i.e. chasing game) and that walking is much more natural for long distances. The distance and speed a person can tolerate obviously varies, but there's a reason most people don't keep it up into later years. I also think running during youth sets people up for injuries that prevent them from exercising later; often when they need it most.
Runners typically have pained looks on their faces and it's intuitive to question why. Repetitive heavy impact on joints just doesn't seem natural. I am NOT denying that running is good for the lungs and heart, but there are other ways to achieve such health. Walking can accomplish plenty if done with vigor, especially uphill. Who's to say that extreme cardio doesn't wear out the sytem prematurely? They say "everything in moderation."
Even four-legged animals with gentler weight distribution resort to a low-impact trot unless prodded. With only two legs, the human gait lacks the fluidity and shock absorption of a horse or dog. All that pounding has to take a toll on various organs, let alone joints. The need for running bras should be a hint and men have their own hyper-gravity issues. It also can't be good for the brain to be jostled repeatedly in the skull.
In anticipation of some edgy responses, this is not a troll, it's a serious medical question. I hear about too many injuries to believe that running itself is benign and one's "form" just needs to be corrected.
R.J.
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