Is Running an Ulcerative Colitis-Friendly Exercise?

For a person with ulcerative colitis it is a "slam-dunk" as whether or not to exercise; it is absolutely necessary. Exercising tones muscles and releases endorphins which help people keep their moods "up". The question of running as an exercise, however, has a multi-pronged consideration.

A person who has ulcerative colitis has probably not been exercising when they are making the decision whether to run or not. It doesn't make sense to me to just begin running. It is well known that runners who are not in shape have multiple injuries. In fact, I have a friend who is an emergency room doctor who has told me that on the weekend he treats "weekend athletes" in much larger numbers than either gunshot wounds or accident victims.

If a person wants to exercise by running, the first thing to do is to have their doctor give them a complete physical and determine if they are healthy enough to push their bodies that much. Next, they need to have proper attire such as good shoes and body covering. One should be well aware of their target heart rate. Periodically, they need to stop and take their pulse to make sure they are not pushing their heart too much.

There is no question that many people love running because it is an aerobic exercise which gets the heart pumping, however my doctor is against it; so am I. I allude to my doctor a lot and while she is schooled in ulcerative colitis treatment, she is not the only doctor in the world and if you have an ulcerative colitis condition you may wish to ask your own doctor or make your own decision.

I have offered an additional site for reference which I think offers more information without being too biased. According to Runner's World, it is necessary to be careful when running for exercise when you have more than a minor cold.

As an ulcerative colitis sufferer we have to ask ourselves what our physical condition truly is. In other articles I have written, I have indicated that undue and surprising stress can cause flares; I believe that equates with physical illness of other natures.

Of course there are people with an ulcerative colitis condition who run, and, run competitively. Personally I think it presents too many risks.

There is always the danger that one is going to push themselves too much and put themselves at risk. Running is an exercise that is noted for injuries from just doing the exercise; one runs the risk of bone, muscle and joint damage. A 'pounding" exercise like running can irritate the bowel Finally, per Runner's World, it turns out that you must be very careful in using running as an exercise if your body is below par in any way.

If you do decide to run, best of luck to you. I would just say get an exam, get good running equipment; I would start by running with someone so they could keep an eye on you, know your limitations (right Clint?) and, start slowly, not adjusting your distance until you are well into your fitness program.

As for me, I think there are safer ways to get into shape than running. For me, it wouldn't work because I would procrastinate too much in addition to the other negatives.

Once again, however, it is usually better to do something rather than nothing.

Reference:

runnersworld.com