Long Term Impact of Running

The long term impact of running is a commonly debated issue. Running is widely recognised as being beneficial in minimising the effect of the aging process, reducing stress and strengthening the body. This article will seek to discuss these issues and evaluate the overall benefits running can have in the long term. 

Several studies have researched the effect which running can have to minimising the effect of the aging process. Michael Pollock (1971) conducted a study of 27 elite runners at Wake University in North Carolina. 

Over the following 30 years, 21 of these runners were still active and it was found that their body fat percentage had only increased marginally, their muscle mass had improved, their oxygen uptake remained considerably higher than average and they had experienced only a 5% drop in heart rate per decade, compared to a drop of 10% in non runners. The study concluded that long term running had managed to halt or even reverse the aging process in some aspects of the runner's bodies, showing significant long term benefits of sustained exercise.

Although a commonly cited disadvantage of running is the damage which it could potentially do to joints, this issue is often raised by non runners and not the health professionals who advise on it. In realty, if a runner is careful with injuries and wears adequate running shoes, the benefits to joints can be considerable. The reduction in body fat which runners enjoy reduces the subsequent strain which is placed on knees. A loss of 10 pounds is equal to a 45 pound reduction in the strain on knees. 

Running has also been proved to strengthen the muscles and ligaments which support knees leading to them being stronger and more stable. The overall impact of running long term will therefore be reflected in the stronger joint and skeletal foundation. The mental side effects of the running have also been noted. The long term impact of experiencing a deeper and more restful sleep have been noted for mental health. The significant stress relieving impact of running has also been commonly suggested as a tool for relaxing. When these two factors are combined, the mental benefits of running in the long term become apparent. Overall, running can be seen to have considerable mental and physical benefits to the runner in the long term.

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