Run or Walk?

I have recently been recovering from tendinitis in my hip, a running injury I sustained back in September after completing my second half marathon. I continued to exercise despite the terrible pain and now my I am paying for it. This recovery is absolutely dreadful! I have completely eliminated any and all activities that will exacerbate my hip. This means no running, biking, skiing, rollerblading, spin class, swimming, and lower body weight lifting. After much patience, I have started walking for 20-30 minutes every day. However I am losing my patience and want to get back to running. Then today I came upon this article!

Check it out using this link:  http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=675046 or http://atvb.ahajournals.org/content/early/2013/04/04/ATVBAHA.112.300878.abstract

This article from the Journal of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology tested whether equivalent energy expenditure (which means the same number of calories burnt) by moderate intensity and vigorous intensity exercise provides equivalent health benefits  The moderate intensity exercise was walking, and the vigorous intensity exercise was running.

Using subjects from the National Runners' and Walkers' Health Study cohort of 33,060 subjects, the research team examined the effect of differences in exercise mode and intensity on coronary heart disease risk factors, including hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease. After 6.2 years of follow-up, the results showed:

- Reduced the risk of high blood pressure by 4.2% and walking reduced the risk by 7.2%
- Running reduced the risk for high cholesterol by 4.3% and walking lowered the risk by 7%
- Running lowered the risk for diabetes by  12.1% and walking reduced the risk by 12.3%
- Running decreased the risk of heart disease 4.5% and walking reduced the risk by 9.3%

Overall, these results show that when equivalent calories are burnt by moderate (walking) and vigorous (running) exercise, similar risk reductions will be seen for hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease.

So if you have been in the same position as me, questioning whether you should run or walk, reconsider walking! Walking puts less pressure on your joints than running AND you will get the same health benefits as running! I will never again poke fun at my mom for speed walking every morning! Sorry mom!