RUNNING IN EXTREME COLD MORE PROBLEMATIC FOR CHILDREN

We are constantly being asked if children should run. There is a growing concern that running is dangerous for children. People are worried about possible injuries including joint damage which could cause permanent injury to the epiphyseal or growth plates, chondromalacia patellae, knee tendinitis, pain of the heel, as well as psychological problems resulting from the pressure to perform.

According to podiatrist Dr. Robert Weiss, "In the absence of long-term studies on children's running, many debates have taken place. My thinking has always been that running is a sport that everyone can enjoy, if done at the individual's own level of fitness and ability. There are, of course, overuse problems in children just as there are in adults. It is also important to remember that a child's thermo-regulatory system is not as well-formed or effective as an adult's. Yet, children seem to have a greater psychological tolerance for heat and have shown to tolerate cold poorly. Therefore, care should be taken when running in extreme weather conditions." 

Source: Stamfordadvocate.com

Courtesy of Barry Block, editor of PM News.