Running on concrete---killer?

I wouldnt call a killer.
But if your knees become sensitive frm age or
injury, you most definately notice that concrete
is unpleasant to run on.

Schultz said:

At my old apartment there was a dirt/rock track I used to run at.

Since I

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moved to our new house, I have just been running through the streets.

I have talked to a couple of people who have (had) been running for

years,

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and they said running on concrete is VERY BAD stuff. One got screwed

up and

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can run no longer.

Apparently there is no hard evidence that proves running on concrete is
necessarily bad. At least no one on this group has been able to site
anything other than anectodal evidence or personal experience. The
human body may be able to adapt to concrete. However, IMO there is
nothing good about it either. Since nobody seems to really know, I'd
rather *not* run on concrete. Why take a chance? I especially try to
avoid concrete when running downhills. I try to find a grass or dirt
section along the side of the road, or at least run on asphalt.

All this was discussed not too long ago. http://tinyurl.com/bxkzv

--
Phil M.

Schultz said:

At my old apartment there was a dirt/rock track I used to run at. Since I
moved to our new house, I have just been running through the streets.

I have talked to a couple of people who have (had) been running for years,
and they said running on concrete is VERY BAD stuff. One got screwed up and
can run no longer.

There are many people who get injured, and many people who run on concrete.
But very little in the way of hard evidence linking the two. There are studies
that have been done, and when running surface is considered as a factor, it
tends not to be significant. Other factors prove more predictive (e.g. high
weekly mileage)

As another poster pointed out, it's probably a good time to review the
fundamentals that have been shown to be substantial factors in injury --
especially be attentive to wear on your shoes, and wearing proper foot wear.

Also, as a general training principal, gradual change and a period of
adaption is preferred to sudden change. So maybe a temporary mileage cutback
to get familiar with the new surface would be beneficial.

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Is this true? If so, is there anything one can get, like maybe some cushy
gel sole, to reduce the wear and tear on joints to dirt/track level?

Until someone produces evidence that the "wear and tear on the joints" is
greater on concrete, I wouldn't worry about this. But I would worry about
wearing proper running shoes, and making sure they're not worn out.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

"Donovan Rebbechi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Until someone produces evidence that the "wear and tear on the joints" is
greater on concrete, I wouldn't worry about this. But I would worry about
wearing proper running shoes, and making sure they're not worn out.

I recall seeing plots of force vs. time for footstrikes on various
surfaces - maybe it was marketing for a cushioning shoe, maybe it was a
legitimate study. I haven't followed any running publications in a long
time to know if such good info exists. One thing strikes me (pun):
measuring the shock as seen by the sole of the shoe will give a good
indication of the hardness of the road surface, but measuring the shock as
seen by the foot/joints (a pressure sensor in the insole) is what matters.
It would be very interesting to see it done also using a pair of shoes with
ascending mileage.

Dave

Face it, running is bad PERIOD!

Thanks for all the help guys. Gonna get new shoes (any good that are cheap
for a guy who runs ~3-5 times per week 1 to 2 hours each time?), and try to
run at the gravel/dirt track when I can.

Its nice to know however that when time is short I can just run by my house.

Thanks again.

"David Geesaman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Donovan Rebbechi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Until someone produces evidence that the "wear and tear on the joints" is
greater on concrete, I wouldn't worry about this. But I would worry about
wearing proper running shoes, and making sure they're not worn out.

I recall seeing plots of force vs. time for footstrikes on various
surfaces - maybe it was marketing for a cushioning shoe, maybe it was a
legitimate study. I haven't followed any running publications in a long
time to know if such good info exists. One thing strikes me (pun):
measuring the shock as seen by the sole of the shoe will give a good
indication of the hardness of the road surface, but measuring the shock as
seen by the foot/joints (a pressure sensor in the insole) is what matters.
It would be very interesting to see it done also using a pair of shoes
with ascending mileage.

Dave

What is your prob?

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Face it, running is bad PERIOD!

x-no-archive: yes

Schultz said:

What is your prob?

You can probably find him somewhere in here:

http://redwing.hutman.net/%7Emreed/index.htm

Perhaps a good first-order approximation:
http://redwing.hutman.net/%7Emreed/warriorshtm/evilclown.htm

Schultz said:

I have talked to a couple of people who have (had) been running for years,
and they said running on concrete is VERY BAD stuff.

Is this true?

Not only have I run exclusively on pavement (concrete, pavement,
sidewalks, blacktop) for 13 years, I actually prefer it. I like the
reliably good solid flat footing of pavement. I am far from being some
anti-environmental nut who wants to pave over Yosemite or something, but
I do much prefer to run on pavement. And I'm doing pretty much fine
injury-wise.

Gotta have good footwear, gotta have good running form. But those
recommendations go for nearly everything that has to do with successful
and long-enjoyed running.

-- Josh in Syracuse

Joshua Steinberg said:

Schultz said:

I have talked to a couple of people who have (had) been running for
years, and they said running on concrete is VERY BAD stuff.
Is this true?

I often have a choice: run on a concrete sidewalk; or run on a
macadam (blacktop) road. I find that running on the blacktop gives
me less knee and ankle issues. I think the blacktop is less hard
than the concrete. Certainly, a nice dirt trail would be softer
than either, but those are generally not available in my area.