Is running on the beach bad for the knees and ankles?

Question

Is it worse than running on pavement because keeping balance is way harder?

Answer 1

Running on sand is one of the BEST things you can do for yourself. It creates more resistence and you feel slower, so you pick up your speed,  so when you run on pavement your speed will gradually start to get faster.

Answer 2

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Running on the beach, whether soft sand or hard pack, puts much more stress on calf muscles and the Achilles tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel.

Running on the beach is physically harder than running on pavement - the higher stress in pushing off a surface that slips away from below your feet makes for a much more difficult (=better conditioning for speed and endurance) workout.

So, running on sand is bad (for your Achilles) and good (for your strength and stamina).  

If you already have Achilles tendon issues, stay away from the sand.  Period.  It'll only make them worse.

But if you don't have Achilles tendon issues, if you have the opportunity, I'd recommend incorporating sand running into a workout once - and no more than once - each week.

Any more workouts than that and you risk tendinosis - long term Achilles tendon problems.  

**This I know from personal experience.  I worked out on sand too often during a period of two weeks between cross country and track my junior year, developed painful tendonitis, and lost a month of running allowing my legs to rest.

Regards,

Running_Dad

Answer 3

no running on a soft terrain is much better then tarmac. Im not sure if grass is better then sand as it is less likely to twist ur ankle. Sand is very good though - safer and a lot more of a benefit for your running