Actually, yes. You should avoid anything that involves repeatedly smashing your head into things. Turns out that's bad for you.
I agree, this sounds great.
But
new research suggests that all that heart-friendly exercise may actually cause temporary damage to the right ventricle. In a study of 40 elite athletes who were training for endurance running events, researchers found signs of damage immediately following the races — the heart was enlarged, and function of the right ventricle had decreased.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as
runner’s knee, is one of the sport’s most common body wreckers. Watch out for pain around or just behind your kneecap, especially after long periods of sitting with bent knees, running, squatting, or climbing or descending stairs.
Pain in the butt, or “dead butt syndrome,” refers to the formally named condition gluteus medius tendinosis, which is an inflammation of the tendons in your rear. This pain doesn’t strike only runners — any rigorous activity can trigger it — but distance runners are among the athletes most likely to experience it.
Are you going through a Goth phase, or is that not black nail polish on your big toe? If you find yourself with an unintentional (one-toed) pedicure after a hard run, you’re not alone. Many runners suffer from black toenails, which are caused by bleeding underneath the nail.