While running can present numerous overall benefits for your body—from cardiovascular to mental health—an obsessive, unrelenting approach to running can pose a severe risk of running-related injury.
Running can be particularly addictive because of the “runner’s high” associated with the sport, says Cordelia W. Carter, MD, director of the Center for Women’s Sports Health and clinical associate professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.
Dr. Carter explains to Healthline that while the sport’s accessibility is a positive, there’s a danger in overdoing the activity, leading to injuries like stress fractures. “I’ve had many patients come in recently who’ve said, ‘I’m having knee pain. I’ve gotten into running and done six marathons in the last year,’” she says. Dr. Carter advises runners to vary their training program.
Read more from Healthline.