Does Running cause Arthritis?
Over many years, it has been believed that the repetitive action of running increases the risk of developing arthritis in the knee and hip. Without the accurate imaging that is available today, it would be obvious to hazard a guess at running being a risk factor. After all, our joints aren’t designed to withstand the forces involved with running long distances, right?
Achilles Pain and Running
The Achilles is the thick tendon from the lower calf to the heel. As you might have seen quite recently, David Haye reportedly ruptured his Achilles tendon in the boxing match against Tony Bellew. The relevance of this example is the similarities between boxing and running. You repetitively push off from your foot, activating your calf muscle (gastrocnemius) and adding load to the Achilles tendon. Hence why David Haye didn't stand a chance.
Does stretching benefit running?
Should you stretch immediately before or after a run? No. Contrary to most beliefs, research suggests that an acute phase of stretching (before or after exercise) does not show any benefits and indicates a possible decrease in performance and increase risk of injury.