Exercise is important for health -- not just the heart and your muscles, but also your bones and joints. Different forms of exercise affect the body in different ways, but those that are most beneficial to your health are ones that achieve an aerobic effect. Running is one of them, but it might also develop joint complications for some.
Joint Pain Causes
Joint pain can result from conditions both temporary and chronic. You may be suffering from an isolated instance of inflammation in the cartilage or other structures in your joints, such as the ligaments. Chronic inflammation of joint cartilage is called arthritis. You may also have degenerating disks in your back, which can absorb a lot of abuse during running.
Effects of Running
Every time your foot makes contact with the ground, it compresses the joints in your lower body like a shock wave, starting in the ankle and working its way through the knee and hip joints to the lower back. Every stride you take puts pressure on the connective tissues holding your bones together at your joints. Prolonged stress can cause or exacerbate injuries in the joints.
Alternatives
In place of running, you can still exercise to your heart's content. There are many healthy alternatives of cardiovascular exercise without the downsides of joint damage and pain. Bicycling and swimming are easy on the joints, particularly those in the lower body, and can achieve the same exercise benefits as running. Yoga, Pilates and aerobics classes can also help you achieve your exercise goals.
Considerations
If you are determined to keep running through your joint pain, certain precautionary measures can help. Wear properly fitting running shoes that have an ample amount of padding. Try to run on soft surfaces like grass and rubber tracks -- avoid concrete and hard surfaces that will worsen the impact of each stride. You should also take breaks from running if the pain increases significantly.
