Parent to Parent: Junior joggers

Jenny started running on her high school cross country team when she was a sophomore.

Jenny Westerhoff, runner
"It was tough at first because I wasn't used to running long distances."

All those miles started to take a toll on her knees.

Jenny Westerhoff, runner
"When I would run it wouldn't hurt automatically, but after a while I could feel it like in my knee cap."

Jenny was eventually diagnosed with tendonitis and stretched ligaments.

Doctors say while it's good to encourage kids to get off the couch and stay active, parents should keep in mind, growing children are more prone to injury.

Wiemi Douoguih, sports medicine specialist
"I think the key is to have running be one of the activities they do and not be their exclusive activity. They shouldn't just run. Have them biking, swimming, playing sports where they may run at times and other times they're working on skill elements."

Doctors say young children need to run in moderation. They recommend kids should not run races until they are at least 5 or 6 years old.

As for children younger than that, their legs aren't steady enough for running, they are at a greater risk and more likely to get hurt.

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