run, on pavement and he often ran with and through pain, and that was not, it turns out, a good idea because Gerry was slowly destroying his hips (maybe his knees, too) with all that trauma. We now know, you see, that that kind of constant pounding to large joints produces often-silent internal joint disruption (especially torn cartilage tissue), and joint disruption is a major precursor to OA.
.....Now, for all those who are quietly laughing (some of you are probably guffawing, shame on you) at all those runners they know who have always been so self-righteous about their exercise regimes and about how many miles they’ve put on, I want to make it very clear that the risk of OA is absolutely no reason not to exercise. Quite the opposite, in fact, because even if you have severe OA in a joint, studies show that (so long as you can stand the pain) it’s better to exercise those joints than to rest on your butt.
.....Rather, this is a caution that
1) you don’t need to go over-board to get the health benefits of exercise, so, for example, to prevent illness, brisk walking is probably as good for you and certainly far, far less risky than running; in fact, there are lots of excellent aerobic activities – cycling, swim-
ming, elliptical machines - that tax joints a whole lot less than running does but which still provide excellent overall fitness, and
2) if you choose running as your primary aerobic sport, stop running whenever you develop any pain and find out the reason for the pain before resuming your runs.
.....One final word on this issue: if you have OA, surgery should be the last, and never the first, answer to your problem. So, always start your therapeutic regime with weight loss, activity modification, a judicious exercise program, and painkillers such as acetominophen, occasional anti-inflammatories, or even “natural” remedies such as glucosamine. As always, though, if you’re confused about the plethora of choices, I suggest you talk to your doctor or your pharmacist for suggestions.
.....Only when those modalities don’t work and you are left in a lot of persistent pain, should surgery be a consideration.
.....And hey, for all you committed long-distance runners (most runners should be committed, if you ask me), remember that “no pain, no gain” is a mantra for idiots, but then, if you’re a really committed long-distance runner. . .

Dr. Art Hister can be heard on CKNW and other Corus Radio Network stations on House Calls on Saturdays at 10 AM, as well as seen on Global TV news on Saturday mornings at 9:20.