Running at Any Age, Injury-Free

Guest Bio: Vijay Vad, MD

Vijay Vad, M.D. is a Sports Medicine specialist and Physiatrist at the prestigious Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, where he has practiced since 1997. Hailed by many as the “Dr. Christian Barnard for anyone suffering from joint and back pain,” he has developed a minimally-invasive joint “lavage” technique—basically a high pressure “power wash,” which literally washes arthritis off hips, knees, and other joints—to help those afflicted avoid joint replacement surgery. To complement his revolutionary minimally-invasive non-surgical treatments for musculoskeletal problems and sports-related injuries, he frequently prescribes an anti-inflammatory diet, a regimen of Yoga and Pilates, and other holistic health remedies.

The former physician for the professional men’s golf and tennis circuits, he is sought out by patients from around the world, including amateur marathon and triathlon competitors, weekend runners, and everyday walkers as well as many current and former professional athletes. In addition to his practice, Dr. Vad serves on the faculty at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He is also the founder of a biotechnology company devoted to developing stem cells as therapy for arthritis, and predicts that stem cell therapy will soon replace traditional joint replacements.

Dr. Vad is the best-selling author of Back Rx, named the Wall Street Journal's favorite health book of 2005, and Arthritis Rx, as well as The New Rules of Running: 5 Steps to Run Faster and Longer for Life (Avery; April 2014). He has developed and hosted two nationally televised PBS specials, Stop Back Pain and Active with Arthritis.

In 2007, Dr Vad created the Vad Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 that supports medical research for back pain and arthritis, and also funds educational grants for girls and women from disadvantaged backgrounds. He lives in New York City with his wife and two young children, a daughter and a son. An advocate of running as “the ultimate fitness activity,” he regularly runs as a fun, energizing way to spend time with his whole family, as well as for its physical and mental health benefits.