Sep
10
Stop me if you heard this one. A guy walks into the doctor’s office and tells the doctor “hey doc, it hurts when I do this”. The doctor reply “well then, don’t do that.” Ok, so I’m not that good at telling jokes over the internet, but this joke does have a point. Over the weekend I got a question from a reader who wanted to know why his feet hurt after he jogged on pavement and if he could do something about it. My answer is “don’t run on pavement”.
First, The Why
How much do you weigh? The reason I ask is because every time you take a step while running, all that weight comes down on your feet. Now I weigh about 210lbs. That means that every step I take brings 210lbs crashing down on my feet. Think about that one for a second. Each step is the equivalent of someone hitting my feet with a 210lb weight. That would hurt! Even if you weigh a lot less, you’re still putting a lot of stress on your feet and that causes pain.
A Bit Of Personal History
I’ve actually tried running on pavement multiple times. I used to exercise while traveling by going for a run around the hotel. I also used to go running with friends who really enjoyed running in the streets around their home. Each and every time I did this my feet and shins really hurt. No, not the dull kind of ache that says you had a good workout. This was sharp pain that was my feet telling me to never do that again. And you know what? I listened. These days I only run on a treadmill, a running track or on a trail. These are all surfaces that are softer and springier than pavement, which means less impact on my feet.
So There’s No Solution?
Well, I didn’t say that. There’s plenty of people out there who are running on pavement and they seem to enjoy it so maybe there is something to it. You could lose weight which would mean less impact on every step. You could get better shoes which would cushion your feet. You might even do some stretching exercises since I understand those minimize the damage (although I’ve never tried this myself). However, at some point, you may need to admit to yourself that running in the street is just not for you.
…and that’s ok!
Just because jogging is popular doesn’t mean it’s the best exercise. Just because you see a lot of people running in the street, doesn’t mean you should be as well. You know what, there are a ton of exercise machines at the gym too and some of them are actually bad for you. Some of those workouts you see people doing? Not that good for you. Just like some of those diets that the “experts” recommend are really lousy. If running on pavement hurts your feet then don’t do it. There are a hundred other ways to get a good cardio workout, from sprints on the beach to swimming in the pool and none of them will cause you as much pain.
Lesson Learned
Don’t force yourself to do some exercise just because you think you should. Listen to your body and hear what it’s trying to tell you. Not all exercises are good for you and if your body is telling you “I HATE THIS EXERCISE! MAKE IT STOP NOW!” then maybe you should listen and find some other way to work out.
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My feet hurt and so I refuse to run on pavement. What has this crippling disability done to my overall fitness? Absolutely nothing. I’m in the best shape of my life and loving every day.
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Comments
6 Responses to “It Hurts When I Run On Concrete”
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Not enough service to shoes here Gal. There are a number of shoes made, by multiple manufacturers, which are made to react well to pavement. Asics is a leader in this endeavor. In fact, Asics makes (some) shoes which make pavement feel like running in grass — Brooks as well. As a point of fact these shoes react better to pavement than they do to dirt or grass and the manufacturer recommends that they are used on pavement only. The technology is changing here and improving every year! That said, running ain’t for everyone!!!
I actually think you are spot on. I have great shoes, fitted at a running store, and pavement still troubles me when I run. I just ran almost 6 miles a couple of days ago, but it was almost all trail running. That meant no pain for me, whereas 6 miles on concrete sidewalks kills my knees.
I think swimming is a much better alternative, and you get more bang for your buck in terms of calories expended x lower impact.
That said, I still run. I’m a running junkie, pain and all….
@Emergefit
I know there are shoes out there that make running more comfortable. I’m actually very careful about my shoes even though I only run on soft surfaces. Still, even with the best of shoes I still thought running on hard surfaces like pavement was too painful.
So let me clarify what I mean by this post before I’m trampled by a horde of angry pavement runners.
If you like running on pavement, then by all means, enjoy it. However, if it makes you hurt and you don’t like it all, find an alternative. It’s not like running on a hard surface is the only way to better fitness and health.
@Metroknow
Absolutely, I can run for miles on soft surfaces and I LOVE swimming.
Gal
No worries and thanks for the insight. I haven’t trampled a fitness blogger in weeks!
Seems similar to my problem, but instead my feet hurt when I run on the treadmill after a prolonged period. Perhaps its my shoes. [asics]
I weigh 158 lbs, 5ft 11.
As a reformed jogger this confirms why I gave up this exercise before my knees and ankles gave out completely. I miss the endorphin rush at the end but find swimming a good substitute and can get puffed while walking briskly with dumbbells these days.