Wednesday, September 21, 2011

3 Reasons To Stop Running

We'll have to admit, running can provide numerous health benefits that can help cardiovascular and respiratory health along with increasing bone density, reducing blood cholesterol, healthier immune system, improve self esteem, and even reduce aging. It's like a ten-in-one package! What could possibly go wrong? The thing is, running is generally a high-impact exercise, constantly throwing your entire body weight left and right onto your feet is bound to cause some type of damage, right?

3. Foot Blisters


Ever walk home from school during a rainy day, take off your soaked socks, and behold the horror that is your feet? Not only are your feet wrinkled like a dried prune, but big white spots have appeared around the soles of your feet. A day later, you discover horrific blisters the size of small grapes growing on your feet. The only solution now is to dismember your own foot.

The only solution.


The thing is, running often results in repeated rubbing between your socks and feet. After running  long enough, calluses or blisters will eventually form depending on how long and how hard you run. Before you laugh this off as a "aesthetic reason", allow me to remind you that both blisters and calluses can lead to more serious complications such as ulcers and infection. Soon enough, you could lose complete feeling in your feet.

How will you enjoy expensive foot massages now?

2. Jogger's Nipple


So you decide to go "Casual Friday" to work one day and instead of wearing your usual dress shirt and tie, you wear baggy sweaters and sweatpants. But being the awesome environmentally-aware dude/gal you are, you decide to run to work. After the first mile, you discover a strange stinging feeling on your chest. On the second mile, you find yourself on your knees begging someone to put you out of your misery as you succumb to Jogger's Nipple.

But what exactly is "Jogger's Nipple"? Well, in laymen's term, it's the result of your shirt repeatedly rubbing against your nipples which can result in painfully sensitive nipples. In extreme cases, you may find your shirt covered with nipple blood. The next time you run, you may find yourself holding up your shirt screaming Bloody Mary as your nipples begin to bleed.

Hold on a second, considering that females generally have nipples that extend further away from their body than men, (Breasts. Okay? I said it.) why don't they walk around with shirts covered with blood? The answer is simple, most women that run wear sport bras, which effectively removes the problem of chaffing. Men however, don't wear sport bras, which results in having extremely tender nipples for the next few weeks. If you attempt to run before your nipples recover, you'll find yourself in stinging agony before you step out of your door.

1. Runner's Knee


What's Runner's Knee? Some type of made-up ailment to excuse running for sissies? Actually, Runner's Knee is a extremely common condition that effects young, healthy adults. What it is however, is the pain in the front of the knee, after strenuous amounts of exercise. But how does this strange pain wondrously pop out of nowhere? Surely there is a reason?

The reason for Runner's Knee is due to the irritation of the under surface of the kneecap. On a normal healthy kneecap, a layer of smooth cartilage allows the kneecap to glide easily across the knee like butter on a hot pan. After running thirty miles without stopping however, the cartilage surface can be come irritated and result in knee pain.

The pain is usually felt after prolonged sitting or lack of leg movement. You may have experienced it as that strange weakening pain on your joints the day after a big game. But before passing it off as something you'll never experience, soccer players, cyclists, rowers, tennis players, basketball players, volleyball players, skateboarders, and even ballet dancers commonly receive this "injury".

No one is safe.