Jogging or track or cross country

[Anonymous]

DH gets bad knees since mid 30s, and it affects him the most when he kneel down, walk up stairs. He did cross country for 3 years almost daily at HS, and a few years of weekly basketball in college /post college with friends. He is 180 lbs with 6 feet tall. He thinks that his bad knees are due to cross country back in HS years. He thinks he may need knee cap replacements one day.

I have some hesitation of cross country. There are lessons for agility/track for age 8/9 above, may these activities cause bad knees? What are the main difference among agility, track and run, jogging and cross country?

[Anonymous]

I've been a runner since elementary school, participating in jogging club and cross-country (ES through HS), HS track, and recreational long-distance running. My knees started getting achy in my 30s when I ran over 3-4 miles at a time. I noticed more pain when running on pavement instead of the softer trail and track surfaces that I had access to in my youth. I still run but maintain a lower mileage or go to the local HS track. Many people run well into their senior years without issue but the key seems to be building in rest days, doing strength training for the lower body (even for kids), and trying to run on softer surfaces (dirt, grass, synthetic track).