Your band would be fine, but you need to ask your doctor if it's safe. He knows your healthy history and issues and needs to be the one to give you the all clear.

If you are cleared to run, I say GO FOR IT! Do you have access to a treadmill at home or some back road somewhere? I started off walking after my surgery and decided to try and run. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would like it, but I actually LOVE it. I'm not the fastest and surely not the most graceful, but who cares??!! Put your hair up, get your music going and GO FOR IT!

One of the first things I've done for myself is get a good supportive sneaker. It really helps!

I agree that you need to check with your DR, I usually just walk matter of fact when I jog I still get past by people walking. Even if I were to run It would not be a pretty site not to mention difficult on the knees.

work your way up to jogging/running. walk first you will get tired then as that becomes easier after you have walked for about fifteen min. go for a jog for as long as you can(till u feel u might not take anymore) then slow down and walk. do this in intervals untill you are jogging more then walking. it helps to strengthen the heart also. but be sure u are cleared for jogging/running some people are restricted in their abilites due to cardiac problems, joint disorders and certian eye conditions.

Since being banded, I have run numerous 5k's and 10ks' and have run 2 half marathons and I haven't experienced any problems with my band. Go for it!

I'm not banded yet, but as for running just make sure you invest in good shoes. I only wear asics kayanos as they have a lot of gel underfoot and great support. They are pricey but worth every cent to reduce injury, especially shin splints. When I started running, I did exactly what stalledout suggested. Small runs, get your breath back and run again. Eventually I was running instead of shuffling

I also train on the beep test, that starts out slow and gets faster and faster, it's a good way to see if you are getting better as you can beat yourself each time you do it.