Hello! My name is Johnpaul. I am 61 and was an avid runner/marathoner for 30-plus years until my left hip started giving me trouble. For a year-and-a-half I tried numerous remedies and substitutes (anti-inflammatories, stretching, yoga, diet, meditation, walk/run/walk sessions, etc.) to no avail before finally giving up and having a THR March of 2010. Recovery went well. My surgeon told me I could not run again. That didn’t go over very well with me, to say the least. He said I needed to avoid all HIGH-IMPACT ACTIVITIES, including but not limited to running, basketball, singles tennis, etc., as well as competitive roof-jumping–just kidding, but by this time I did feel like that wouldn’t be such a bad idea! For about three years I experimented with numerous aerobic activities such as hiking, biking, various elliptical machines, race walking, etc., but nothing replaced the feeling I use to get from running. During this process of trying to find a suitable substitute, I gained 30 pounds! Then recently I came across an article that lead me to a book by Alistair MacAlpine called How To Run With A Hip Replacement. Major serendipity, to say the least, since Alistair posts on this very web site! His premise was simple: if you ran correctly, then you could run in such a way that running would no longer be considered a high-impact activity. He recommended at first to: 1) wear running shoes with the least amount of padding/support as possible for the surface you’re running on; 2) run on your toes and/or forefoot (Do Not run heel-to-toe!); 3) run on a soft surface (avoid asphalt, concrete, and hard-packed surfaces); 4) run uphills, at first, walking the flats and downhills, gradually working toward soft, flat surfaces. (Alistair, if I’ve misrepresented you in any way, please let me know) Of course, I was jazzed! I’ve been on a walk/jog/walk program 4 days a week for a couple of months. I also have incorporated a daily yoga/stretching routine to increase strength and flexibility along with a prudent diet program to lose weight. I can’t believe how much better … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)