Letting Runners Run

Dooley Noted: 1/29/2014

Running on two feet is one of the most evolved components of human movement.

I try to imagine a jaguar or puma doing it. A silly thought, no?

It requires an enormous amount of mobility, stability, and strength to run without injury. The system must have a stable platform and ultimate motor control to do it functionally.

Running is advanced! But I see my share of joggers, riddled with dysfunctional gait patterns, choosing running as their source of fitness.

I won’t tell a runner not to run. They love it because it feels like nothing else.

However, I will encourage him or her to become more tolerant of running.

Building a strength base leaves a runner more resilient. It’s like weathering a storm: the stronger the foundation, the more the body can withstand any potential damage.

Your workout must never break you down. That effort can build you up!

Running on a stable platform can actually be GOOD for the knees. Most people don’t take the time to build the triumvirate first: strength, mobility, and stability.

Once you have that, little will stop you – including a run.

So please, earn your right to run. Build strength and resiliency, along with mobility and strength at the roots.

As always, it’s your call.

– Dr. Kathy Dooley