Quote:
Originally Posted by activeStick
Is running bad for your knees and feet due to the impact? No doubt it's great exercise for your heart, but would biking be better?
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Generally it use to be accepted that running was more difficult on your knees than biking. It can especially exacerbate knee injuries if you're overweight, have pre-existing conditions or are running with poor form.
Newer studies have shown conflicting results when it comes to knee osteoarthritis though, some suggesting that running may even be beneficial.
I'm not a doctor or researcher, but pretty much with everything it seems like in moderation running is fine. Overuse or running while injured seem to be the biggest issues when it comes to running. Based on my own experience, if you're overweight it's probably better to cycle or swim for your cardio until you get to a lower BMI. But if you're at a healthy weight (or near) and don't have any knee issues, (again, as a non-doctor) you're probably fine either way. I don't see much of a reason it needs to be one or the other, even if you do run a ton, it's important to rest and cross-train, so throwing in some cycling and swimming is beneficial.
Ironically, there seems to be a shift in thinking that long distance running may not be as bad for your knees as once thought but
worse on your heart.