Did you know that every time you hit the pavement running, you’re putting two to three times your body weight on each foot with every stride? It’s no wonder runners often face niggles, pains, and injuries after years of pounding the ground.
But don’t worry! We’ve got some exciting news from an intriguing recent study that reveals eight exercises to reduce running injuries.
And stick around because we’ll also dive into the most common injuries you, as a runner, should watch out for.
Ready to discover the secret to injury-free running? Let’s jump into the study…
Let’s dive right into the study…
Exercises To Reduce Running Injuries
The number of injury-free runners seems to shrink as the miles add up, with research showing around 25 injuries for every 1,000 hours of running.
But what if we told you that doing just eight simple, clever strengthening exercises could drastically improve your chances of staying injury-free? That’s precisely what happened to a group of runners in a recent study.
In fact, the blue line was the survival rate of the control group in this study while the red line was the intervention group.
Let’s get into the details so you can have the same success!
The Study
Here’s how the study went down: All participants started with three information sessions…
In the first session, participants were taught eight strength exercises, which we’ll detail shortly.
The second session focused on the running program’s structure, emphasizing the importance of avoiding “too much, too soon”—a common cause of injuries. This means not increasing weekly mileage, speed, or hill sessions too quickly.
Participants were instructed to run two to four times a week, with a coach guiding them through a gradual progression in training and intensity.
The recommendation was to add about 30 minutes of activity each week on average, but adjustments were made based on the previous week’s training.
The plan included not only running but also brisk walking, hill walking, intervals, and coordination drills. This variety helped reduce the risk of overuse injuries by spreading the load on the body throughout the week.
Importantly, participants were instructed on how they should feel during exercise. The key was to keep easy runs genuinely easy, meaning they should be able to converse comfortably with only a slight increase in breathing.
If the intensity felt too high, they were encouraged to incorporate walking breaks. This advice is crucial because many runners think they’re going slow enough when they’re actually pushing too hard.
The third workshop zeroed in on running technique, but interestingly, they steered clear of giving advice on foot strike or footwear.
This is a smart approach because tinkering with your foot strike or switching up your shoes can actually backfire. Such changes can shift the stress to different parts of your body, potentially leading to injuries if those areas aren’t prepared for the new load.
Instead, the focus was on sticking with what works for you. The safest bet is to continue with the foot strike and type of shoes that you’re already comfortable with and accustomed to. It’s all about keeping things steady and avoiding unnecessary risks.
This session emphasized posture, stride length, and arm swing. While the paper doesn’t really go into the details, it’s likely that much of the discussion centered around finding your optimal cadence, which is the number of steps you take per minute.
Cadence can play an important role in running efficiency and injury prevention and you should really do your best to find your ideal cadence to reduce your risk of injury. And if you think you’re safe just knowing that 180 is a perfect number to strive for, think again.
In fact, I bust that particular myth and teach you everything you need to know about cadence in this article. Give it a read as well!
Related: New study has found new warm-up techniques to run faster.
The Strength Exercises
Each runner was provided with resistance bands and mini bands in four different resistances. They were instructed to use the appropriate band to ensure the exercise felt challenging but could still be performed with good form. The exercises were to be done two to four times per week, ideally before their scheduled runs.
Like I said earlier, there are eight exercises in total, with four variations based on ability level, so you can choose the one that suits you best.
Here’s a video that demonstrates all eight exercises and their variations:
- Core Strength: Front Plank
For the front plank, you can mix it up with different variations like bear crawls, upper body rotations, static holds, or leg extensions.
- Core and Oblique Strength: Side Plank
For side planks, try variations like hip lifts, a static hold, or the short and long lever Copenhagen plank, depending on your fitness level.
- Glute Activation: Glute Bridge
Glute bridges can be done with both legs, holding the position, doing leg kicks, or challenging yourself with a single-leg variation.
- Hip Stability: Abductor Strength
To target your abductor strength, use mini bands for squats, crab walks, front-to-back walks, or straight-leg side walks.
- Hip Flexor Activation: Hip Flexor Strength
For hip flexor strength, exercises include straight leg raises, single leg kicks, static holds, or standing hip flexions.
- Lower Body Strength: Lunge
Lunges can vary from Bulgarian split squats and backward lunges to walking lunges or the more advanced jumping lunges.
- Posterior Chain Strength: Hamstring Strength
For hamstring strength, you can do resistance band deadlifts, towel curls, Nordic curls, or single-leg curls.
- Lateral Movement: Side Lunge
Side lunges can include alternating side lunges, 3D lunges, adding arm circles, or incorporating a cross-step for added complexity.
Now, let’s move on to the common running injuries you need to be aware of as a runner…
Related: Study reveals a great pacing strategy for better marathon results.
Most Common Running Injuries
Ankle Sprain
Ah, the dreaded ankle sprain—it’s like an unwelcome guest that crashes your run out of nowhere. You’re running along, everything’s smooth, and then, bam! You twist your ankle on a curb or a sneaky pebble.
Sometimes, it feels like there was nothing in your path, and suddenly, you’re hit with a sharp, shooting pain. If you’re super unlucky, you might even hear a pop—definitely not a good sign.
What’s happened? You’ve probably overstretched or strained the ligaments and tendons around your ankle. If you can still put weight on it, try to walk it out gently and head back home. If it’s too painful or you can’t bear weight, it’s time to seek some help.
Once home, keep that ankle elevated. Since it’s the lowest part of your body, gravity loves to pull swelling right there, making it puff up faster than a balloon. Prop it up, ice it intermittently, and gauge how bad it really is.
If the swelling is intense or you can’t even touch it, it’s worth seeing a pro. Keep in mind, they might have to wait for the swelling to go down before they can fully assess the damage.
To prevent ankle sprains in the future, work on proprioception—basically, your body’s awareness of its position in space. Practice standing on one leg, use a wobble cushion, or do foot strengthening exercises with a TheraBand. These tricks can help keep your ankles sturdy and sprain-free!
Make sure you check out these running shoes for ankle support.
Strained Calf
Ah, the strained calf—a classic running woe that’s very frustrating but very common. This injury often hits the muscle belly at the back of your calf, where the gastrocnemius resides, or it might venture further down to the soleus near the Achilles. It’s a bit like your calf’s way of saying, “Hey, you’ve overdone it!”
You might find yourself dealing with a calf strain if you’ve upped your mileage too quickly, tackled a tough workout on top of your regular runs, or even changed up your footwear.
For me, it hit earlier this year because I ramped up my mileage without adding any strength training—lesson learned the hard way!
You’ll usually feel this strain when contracting your calf or trying to stretch it out. If you notice swelling, ice it intermittently. Otherwise, rest is your best friend.
A mild strain might let you get back to running in a few days, but if it’s more of a tear, you’re looking at weeks or even months of recovery. In such cases, I would recommend getting some professional help to help you improve and speed up that recovery process.
I personally had some lingering issues and ended up needing a few sessions with a physio to tackle scar tissue. Sometimes, just a couple of visits can make all the difference.
If you’re prone to calf problems, focus on regular stretching, strengthening exercises, and consider your footwear. Opting for shoes with a slightly higher heel-to-toe drop might also ease the strain.
Strained Groin
Yes, it’s as annoying as it sounds. This pesky injury typically happens when you’ve overworked or strained your abductor muscles, those helpful muscles running down the inside of your thigh.
While you might usually see groin strains in team sports where rapid direction changes are the norm, runners aren’t immune either. Though it’s not usually a major issue, it can be quite the slow-healer. As with most injuries, the old adage “prevention is better than cure” rings true here.
To keep that groin in check, make sure all the muscles around your hips are working harmoniously. Pay particular attention to your glutes—if they’re not firing properly, the extra strain falls on your adductors, and that’s when problems arise. Regular strength training and stretching can help keep everything in balance and reduce your risk of a groin strain.
Runner’s Knee
The infamous runner’s knee is the classic nemesis of many a dedicated runner. While this term can refer to general knee pain, it usually points to patellar tendonitis.
That’s the inflammation of the patellar tendon, the crucial band of tissue both above and below your kneecap that keeps things tracking smoothly.
You might feel the burn after a steep downhill run, a session of heavy squats, or even a marathon stair-climbing workout. And, if you’ve been sitting for a while, you may notice that your knee feels stiff and maybe even a bit crunchy—like it’s protesting your sedentary lifestyle.
So, what’s the culprit behind this knee drama? Often, it’s weakness and tightness in the muscles surrounding the knee.
Believe it or not, even your glutes play a role here—yes, those trusty muscles in your backside can influence knee health. Closer to the knee, the Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO) muscle, a small but significant player just above and inside your kneecap, might be a bit lazy when it comes to activation.
If you’re dealing with runner’s knee, it’s time to focus on flexibility and activating those muscles around your knee. You might need to take a short break from running to let things settle. When you do return to running, ease back in gradually to avoid re-injury.
And, if you find knee pain popping up frequently, it might be worth checking if your running shoes are good for knee pain. Sometimes, the wrong pair can make a big difference.
Achilles Tendonitis
Ah, Achilles tendonitis/tendinopathy is that persistent pain in the back of your ankle that can hang around longer than an uninvited guest.
This condition involves irritation or inflammation of the Achilles tendon, the important cord that links your calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) to your heel.
When you push your Achilles tendon too hard, whether through steep hill runs, speed work, or wearing shoes that lack proper support, it can become irritated and eventually inflamed. Over time, this can lead to a thickening of the tendon, making it a long-term problem if left unchecked.
If you’re dealing with Achilles tendonitis, start by icing the area to calm down that initial inflammation. But don’t stop there—long-term relief comes from strengthening the tendon and calf muscles. Calf raises are a fantastic exercise to help with this.
Looking for a bit of extra help? Some running shoes can actually ease Achilles tendonitis. They could be just what you need.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is an overuse issue where the thick band of tissue (the fascia) running along the bottom of your foot gets irritated. This fascia connects your muscles to your heel bone, and when it gets overstressed, you might experience a dull, nagging pain, often in the heel or the arch of your foot.
One of the telltale signs is a sharp pain first thing in the morning. This happens because your fascia tightens up overnight, and when you take those first steps, it’s like a rude awakening for your foot. Ouch!
To tackle plantar fasciitis, start by reducing inflammation. Ice is your best friend here. For an extra boost, freeze a water bottle and roll your foot over it. It’s soothing and effective.
As you move past the initial pain, focus on stretching out that tight tissue. A golf ball can be your secret weapon for this—just roll it under your foot to massage and stretch the fascia.
With the help of these running shoes, you could run with their plantar fasciitis.
Shin Splints
Shin splints is another pesky injury that can sneak up on you, especially if you’re a newbie who’s just ramped up their mileage. Trust me, I’ve been there!
You’ll usually feel shin splints as a dull, throbbing pain on the inside lower part of your shin. It’s often tender to the touch and can make even the most enthusiastic runner wince.
So, what’s going on? Shin splints are basically caused by your muscles overworking and tugging on the fascia that connects them to your shinbone. It’s like your muscles are getting a bit too ambitious and pulling more than they should.
First off, apply ice to reduce inflammation and ease the discomfort. After that, give yourself some rest. It’s important to let your body recover and build up your running routine slowly.
When I started running, I experienced shin splints too. My secret weapon was patience—gradually increasing my mileage and focusing on strengthening exercises around my ankles. Also, don’t overlook the importance of having the right gear. A supportive shoe with ample cushioning can make a world of difference.
Running on softer surfaces, like grass, can also ease the transition. Once your body adjusts, you can gradually shift to harder surfaces.
Looking for a good pair of running shoes that can help with shin splints? We’ve reviewed some good options for you.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome (IT Band)
IT band syndrome is an all-too-common issue that can bring your running routine to a screeching halt. If you’ve ever felt pain on the outside of your knee, just above where it bends, or even up near your hip, it could be your IT band acting up.
The IT band syndrome is essentially an overuse injury. It’s like your IT band—those tough, fibrous bands running from your hip to your shin—is feeling a bit too much strain and inflammation. It’s a sneaky one that can keep you off your feet for weeks if not managed properly.
This ailment often rears its head from frequent downhill running, running on a camber, or consistently running in one direction on a track. And yes, worn-out shoes and poor running form, often related to weak glutes, can definitely make things worse.
So, how can you avoid this pesky problem? Strengthening and activating the muscles around your hips is key. Regularly working on your glutes and hip muscles can help prevent IT band syndrome. If you do find yourself dealing with it, gentle massage on the affected area might provide some relief.
There’s some debate about how effective it is to massage the IT band itself—some say it helps, while others are skeptical. Instead, focusing on relieving the muscles that feed into the IT band can also be beneficial.
I hope this hasn’t dampened your running spirit! We’re here to help you sidestep these common issues and keep you on the road. If you do run into any of these problems, at least you’ll be well-equipped to handle them.
Wrap Up
And there you have it. Whether it’s the dreaded runner’s knee or the sneaky IT band syndrome, knowing what to look out for and how to tackle these issues can keep you pounding the pavement with confidence.
Remember, prevention is your best friend. Keep those muscles strong, vary your terrain, and listen to your body. With a bit of care and knowledge, you can use these exercises to reduce running injuries and their impact.
