Running while pushing a stroller might seem like it would put extra strain on the body — but research suggests the opposite is true. Parents who run with a stroller are actually less likely to suffer injuries than those who run without one.
Researchers at Pennsylvania State University's Berks campus found that parents who ran while pushing a stroller had a lower risk of overuse injuries than those who ran without one, according to the Washington Post on Saturday. The findings were published in the international academic journal PLOS One.
Overuse injuries are not caused by falls or collisions but by the cumulative stress placed on muscles, joints and tendons through repetitive motion. Common examples among runners include knee, ankle and shin pain.
Analyzing self-reported running distances and injury histories from study participants, the researchers found that parents who pushed a stroller had a 55 percent lower rate of overuse injuries per 1,000 miles (about 1,609 kilometers) run compared with those who ran without one.
The participants had all been running at least 5 miles (about 8 kilometers) a week before becoming parents and continued running while their children were between 6 months and 3 years old.
The researchers focused on how pushing a stroller naturally alters a runner's form and pace.
Prior research has shown that people who run while pushing a stroller tend to take shorter strides and slow their pace. This, the researchers explained, can reduce the load placed on joints during a run.
Gripping the stroller handle was also found to play a role. The force generated while running is not concentrated entirely in the lower body but distributed to the hands and arms, reducing the impact on the legs.
"When you push a stroller, some of the force is transmitted through your hands as well as your legs," said Allison Altman-Singles, an associate professor of kinesiology and mechanical engineering at Penn State Berks who led the study. "This distributes your body weight."
However, the study alone is not enough to conclude that stroller running itself prevents injuries. Because the research relied on participants' self-reported running distances and injury experiences, other factors such as exercise intensity and speed may also have played a role.
Recent months have also seen stroller runners set records that would be hard to imagine for most people.
On Aug. 8, a father in Cleveland, Ohio, ran 1 mile (about 1.61 kilometers) in 4 minutes and 17.7 seconds while pushing a stroller, setting a world record in the category, according to the Washington Post.
That works out to roughly 22.5 kilometers per hour. Contrary to the common assumption that running with a stroller is a hindrance to athletic performance, the findings suggest that — at least when it comes to injury risk — the reality may be quite different.
sjy@heraldcorp.com
