How to Prevent Running Injuries
RWA | Updated: 23 January 2026
When our bodies aren't coping with the stress of running at any particular time, injuries are likely to occur. Most running injuries fall under the term “overuse injuries” which occur when we have taken on too much, too soon, too fast. These injuries are essentially a symptom of over-stressing our bodies, so it is important to find ways to avoid the impacts of running becoming more than our bodies can cope with.
Other injuries are a result of weakness in essential muscles like your gluteus medius, gastrocnemius, VMO, etc., which can be avoided with the right preventative approaches.
Ten Tips for Preventing Running Injuries
1. Gradually Increase Mileage and Intensity
One of the most effective ways to prevent overstressing your body is to avoid increasing your distance or speed too quickly. Experts recommend increasing mileage and intensity no more than 10% per week to allow your body to gradually build the strength needed to handle the increased demands.
2. Take Warm-Ups Seriously
Proper warm-ups help prevent both soreness and injury. Warm-ups gradually introduce a wide range of motion to your body in order to prepare it for when that same movement is demanded by exercise. For more information, read The Best Warm-ups for Runners.
3. Take Rest Days
Running causes microscopic tears in your muscles. These tears will make you stronger as long as you give your body an opportunity to rest in order for it to rebuild the muscles. Therefore, it is crucial to add rest days into your training schedule. In terms of injury prevention, a rest day may involve not exercising at all, or incorporating light activities into your day to enhance recovery. Either way, you should not be running on these days. Additionally, prioritising your sleep will also allow your body to fully recover.
4. Incorporate Strength Training
When running you generate a force of approximately 2.5 to 3 times your body weight through your legs. The aim of strength training is to increase muscle strength and reduce the onset of fatigue, to sufficiently cope with the force load of running. Lifting weights, plyometrics and hill running are all forms of strength training. It provides a good opportunity to work on creating balance and strengthening weaker parts of your body. Your core, glutes and calves benefit your balance and stability the most, so it is particularly important to focus on these areas. Don’t forget to also address smaller muscles, too, like the ones in your feet!
5. Listen to Your Body
There is the satisfying kind of pain that accompanies a hard, productive workout, and then there is the not-so-satisfying kind of pain that comes when something feels off. Pain is your body’s method of warning you that something is not quite right. While the ability to push through it may allow you to become faster, the best athletes know when to listen to the warning signs and stop running. If a certain area feels weak or painful, do not push it. The pain is most likely your body telling you to rest, strengthen or stretch. If you have consistent, extreme or worsening pain, seek help from a medical professional.
6. Stay Well Fed and Hydrated
Proper hydration and fuelling is extremely important in day-to-day life, especially when exerting yourself through sports. In addition to helping prevent heat-related illnesses, hydration is vital to the function of your muscles and joints. Water supports normal muscle contractions and plays an essential role in lubricating and rebuilding our joints. If the joints are not properly lubricated or able to rebuild cartilage, joint injuries such as cartilage or meniscus tears may occur. Regardless, it is also critical to avoid overhydration as well.
A well balanced diet will ensure that your body has access to all the vitamins and minerals that it needs to stay healthy. Deficiencies in these results in increased risks of injuries, as the body isn’t able to properly recover after sessions. Iron, magnesium, and Vitamin D, are some of the more essential minerals that runners need, and, luckily, are found in most well-balanced diets.
7. Self-Myofascial Release
Self-Myofascial Release (SMR), are techniques that act on fascia to increase blood flow, alleviate soreness, and enhance recovery, by using tools such as foam rollers or massage balls. Using your chosen tool, apply pressure onto the tight area, or ‘knots’, for bursts of 30 seconds before releasing. This applied pressure encourages the knots to relax by increasing blood flow and oxygen into the tissue.
8. Change Up Terrain
Running on the same terrain day after day will commonly lead to overuse injuries. Consistently running on hard pavement, off camber trails or other monotonous terrains puts your body through the same motion and type of impact with every step, over and over again. This increases the stress on all the same muscles, tendons and bones. If this stress adds up to a point beyond what your body can handle, injuries will most likely occur.
9. Cross Training
Incorporating low-impact exercises, like swimming, cycling, yoga, and deep water running, into your training week continues to build fitness, but gives the body a break from the repetitive impact of running. This is a great option for days when your body is a bit more sore, or even just to have some variety in your training.
10. Wear Good Running Shoes
Having the right running shoes is essential to running health. This includes choosing the right type of shoe for your individual needs but also taking care to avoid running in shoes that are too worn out. Uneven wear can promote unhealthy gait patterns and cause injury. Therefore, make it a priority to replace your running shoes regularly. Everyone’s shoe requirements are going to differ depending on your body’s needs and preferences. When choosing a shoe you will need to consider the arch support, cushioning, drop and stack height .
