Is your daily run fast-tracking your wrinkles?
A NYC-based plastic surgeon has gone viral warning that overdoing the popular workout can speed up the aging process — from your joints all the way to your jawline.
“Running feels great, that’s terrific, you get a high from it,” Dr. Gerald Imber said in a recent TikTok. “[But] your knees go, your ankles go, your hip goes, your skin goes and your face sags.”
“On top of it all, you’re speeding up the fact that you’re going to get shorter from the constant pounding,” he added in the clip, which has run up more than 12 million views. “That’s a pretty high price.”
Running is linked to a wide range of benefits, including enhanced cardiovascular fitness, improved metabolic health, weight management and stronger muscles and bones.
But Imber said there’s a better exercise that offers similar benefits without putting unnecessary stress on your body that not only raises your risk of injury but also shows up on your face.
“Have you ever seen a long distance, long-time runner that didn’t have a gaunt, old face?” he asked in a separate video. “That’s what happens.”
Instead, Imber suggested, “why don’t you just get on a bike and forget about running?”
Cycling, a low-impact and accessible exercise for all ages, provides many benefits, including improved heart and lung function.
It also works all the major muscles in your legs while engaging your core and upper body for balance and stability. Biking has even been shown to support joint health.
In fact, one study found that people who regularly ride bikes are significantly less likely to develop osteoarthritis or experience knee pain by age 65 compared to those who don’t bike.
Cycling may also protect the brain from dementia, enhance cognitive function and boost overall mental well-being.
Plus, it improves balance and coordination, which helps prevent falls — a critical benefit for older adults.
The reaction to Imber’s take was split, with many celebrating the warning.
“Who am I to go against doctors orders? No running for me,” one TikTokker commented.
“Laziness has saved me again,” another joked.
But others pushed back.
“I have been a long distance runner for 22 years. My knees and overall health are great!” a woman commented.
“I’ve been running for 35 years and I believe it’s the fountain of youth! Bye bye, going for a run,” said another.
Outside experts say Imber isn’t entirely off base when it comes to the effects of excessive running — at least when it comes to your face.
“If you’re doing all this super high intensity aerobic exercise, you’re going to lose body fat everywhere,” Dr. Boris Paskhover, a facial plastics and reconstructive surgeon, told TODAY.com.
“And if you lose body fat in your face, well then you’re going to have that gaunt, thinned-out look.”
Plus, as we age, our skin produces less collagen and elastin, and harmful UV rays from the sun can speed up that process.
In a separate TikTok, Imber clarified that running is OK — in moderation.
“It’s perfectly fine to run a little bit every day or run a couple of miles a few times a week,” he said.
“But no-impact or low-impact aerobics is really the way to get your exercise.”
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