Benefits and Risks of Running Among Women: An Epidemiologic Study

Abstract

To describe some of the suggested health benefits and risks of regular running in young and middle-aged women, a group of 428 Swiss female contestants in a popular 16-km race was studied by questionnaire (response rate 86%). The estimated endurance estimate capacity of female runners (VO2max equivalents, based on 16-km running time) was superior to the endurance capacity of both the female and the male general population. The strongest predictor of runners' VO2max was habitual weekly training distance. Training and life-style characteristics of the contestants were able to explain part of, but not the whole, difference in VO2max seen between runners and women of the general population. Running activity was positively associated with reported weight loss and quitting smoking. However, during the year preceding the race, 40% of the female contestants sustained running-related injuries or complaints, 17% sought medical help therefore, and 14% had to interrupt running for 6 weeks on average. Sites and types of running injuries showed specific female properties. Female runners had significantly less outpatient physician visits than the general population, but among runners the highly active (greater than or equal to 25 km/week) had more visits than the moderately active (less than 25 km/week), due to excess consultations because of running-related complaints. This cross-section study used epidemiologic methods to quantify some benefits and risks of running.

The NLstart2run study: Incidence and risk factors of running‐related injuries in novice runners

“…This finding is in line with Nielsen et al who found a higher risk of RRI in novice runners aged 45 years and older . In contrast, several studies found an inverse relationship between age and RRI risk, suggesting an increased RRI risk at lower ages (Marti, 1988;Hootman et al, 2002;Buist et al, 2010a). The "healthy runner effect" might also explain these conflicting results concerning age as risk factor for RRI, indicating that extensive running experience is protective for RRI occurrence, independent of age.…”

“…Previous injuries have shown to increase the risk of developing an RRI (Marti, 1988;Macera et al, 1989Macera et al, , 1991Walter et al, 1989;van Gent et al, 2007). However, it is not always clear whether these previous injuries were related to running or other sports activities (Buist et al, 2010a).…”

Influence of Trunk Posture on Lower Extremity Energetics during Running

“…Despite the positive health effects associated with running (21,25), there remains a high incidence of lower extremity injuries in this population (19%-79%) (20,35,37,38). Among the lower extremity joints, the knee accounts for 50% of all lower extremity running injuries (35,37).…”

Epidemiology of Sports Injuries in the Swiss Organization "Youth and Sports" 1987-1989 - Injuries, Exposure and Risks of Main Diagnoses

“…In a review of the current literature from 1980 to 1990 only two reports including exposure time were found, they concerned acute and overuse injuries fiom jogging (7,8). The presentation of exposure-time data, for example fiom injures in alpine skiing, would be of great interest, but there are serious methodological difficulties in the estimation of both the time and the population-at-risk.…”