Travel PT: Can too much running be bad for your health?

For running, too much of a good thing appears to be bad, according to a new study that travel physical therapy professionals should pay attention to. The research, presented to the American College of Cardiology’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., found that while running regularly assists wit weight control, blood pressure and stress, there may be a point of diminishing returns.

Generally, the “more is better” mentality can be easily to lean on for workouts, but it falls short in terms of running. Researchers from Cardiovascular Research Institute (CRI) at the Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, Pa., revealed that high-mileage runners and those who get no exercise both tend to have shorter lifespans than moderate runners. However, the reasons remain unclear.

Martin Matsumura, co-director of CRI, evaluated data from more 3,800 male and female runners whose average was 46. Participants were involved in the Masters Running Study, a web-based study of training and health information on runners. Nearly 7 out of 10 subjects reported running more than 20 miles per week.

The runners gave information on their health conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and family history of heart disease. They evens shared their use of common painkillers called NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen), which have been associated with heart problems.

But none of these factors shed light on the shorter lives of high-mileage runners. Thus, Matsumura and colleagues ruled out cardiac risk or the use of certain medications as factors of reduced longevity.

So, what should those working in travel physical therapy jobs tell their patients? Find a happy medium. Beginning runners should start with 2 to 4 miles per week at about 20 to 30 minutes. Most advanced runners can take off around the 20 mile mark per week. The key? Run as comfortably as possible and listen to your body. Walking is a great alternative, too. Both healthcare staffing and patients should stay tuned to upcoming research into the mileage-lifespan link.

Dr. James O’Keefe, director of preventive cardiology at the Mid-American Heart Institute in Kansas City, reviewed the findings. He believed that there’s simply too much wear and tear on the bodies of runners who take off dozens of miles per week. Running on concrete, pavement and other hard surfaces can grind down joints and cartilage in the knees, ankles and feet, while straining muscles.

Other running problems
Many travel PT professionals work with runners recovering from injuries. The most common problems include runner’s knee, which results from overuse of the joint. This occurs when your kneecap falls out of alignment, since over time, the cartilage on your knee cap can wear down. Long distance runners likely know of shin splints either from their own experience or friend who has had it. This pain occurs in the front or inside of the lower leg along the tibia (shin bone). Shin splints are common after changing workouts, running longer distances or increasing the number of days patients run. People with flat feet are more likely to develop shin splints.

More problems include ankle sprain, stress fracture, Achilles tendonitis, and muscle pulls in the hamstrings, quadriceps, calf or groin. The majority of these conditions result from running too much. Advise your patients to rest, ice and stretch if they experience any of these problems.