Running is a very accessible sport, but injuries are common. To prevent running injuries, the best-supported levers are well known: increase your training load gradually, get stronger and recover well. Here is how to put them into practice.
The short answer
- Most injuries come from a training load that rises faster than your body can handle.
- Strength training is the best-proven prevention measure; stretching, on the other hand, does not reduce injury risk.
- Beginners get injured more often per hour of running than experienced runners: progression matters even more when you start out.
- Warm-up, sleep, nutrition and recovery help you absorb your training better.
- Pain that increases during a run or changes your stride is a signal to stop.
Contents
How common are running injuries?
Very common. A review of studies on distance runners reports that between 19% and 79% of them suffered a lower-limb injury over the study period, depending on the population and the definition of injury used. The knee is the most affected area (van Gent et al., 2007). A more recent meta-analysis also shows that novice runners get injured much more often per hour of running than recreational runners (Videbæk et al., 2015): the body needs time to adapt.
A RunMotion survey of runners points the same way: runners are not equal when it comes to injuries. 57% of respondents get injured once every 3 years or more often, while 43% almost never get injured.
What causes running injuries?
The most common running injuries include shin splints, IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, runner’s knee (patellofemoral pain) and muscle strains. Trail runners can add ankle sprains to the list, often caused by a bad landing on a descent.
The main reason is mechanical. With every stride, your muscles, tendons and bones take impact. Your body can handle a certain level of stress, and it adapts if you give it time. But if the stress exceeds what it can absorb, too fast or too often, pain and then injury follow.
Each of us also has small imbalances: one leg slightly longer than the other, one side weaker. Another part of the body compensates and takes more stress, and that is often where an injury appears. Add other factors on top: general fatigue, poor sleep, rushed recovery, worn-out or unsuitable shoes.
Increase your training load gradually
This is lever number one. Your training load combines the volume, intensity and frequency of your sessions. When it jumps suddenly, for example when returning from a break or at the start of a build-up, your body does not have time to adapt.
A Danish study followed novice runners: those who increased their weekly distance by more than 30% over two weeks had more distance-related injuries than those who progressed more gently (Nielsen et al., 2014). It is an observational study in beginners, not a universal rule, but it confirms what we see in practice: it is better to step up gradually.
Training too fast and too often is the other trap. Most of your easy runs should be done at low intensity, even if it feels slow: that is how your body recovers from harder sessions. In fact, running slowly makes you faster.
If you feel very tired on the day of a hard session, don’t force it: move it to the next day if you feel better. As a rule, leave at least two days between two high-intensity sessions, and more if you are a beginner or recover more slowly.
Get stronger to handle the load
Strength training is the best-proven prevention measure. A meta-analysis of controlled trials across sports showed that strength training programmes greatly reduced injury risk, whereas stretching had no protective effect (Lauersen et al., 2014). A more recent analysis suggests a dose-response effect: the more strength training volume, the lower the risk (Lauersen et al., 2018).
In practice, aim for one or two strength or core sessions a week. Strength and conditioning sessions can last from 20 minutes to 1 hour. They chain exercises that work a muscle or muscle group for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
With strength training, your muscles and tendons handle the repetition of sessions better. You absorb training better and limit your injury risk.
RunMotion Coach plans include strength and conditioning sessions in your weeks and take your training load into account. Try them free for 7 days.
Warm up before adding intensity
The warm-up is an integral part of the session. It prepares your muscles, tendons and cardiovascular system for the effort, helping you perform and ease into intensity.
What makes a good warm-up? Before a hard session, here is a typical routine:
- At least 20 minutes of easy running
- Joint mobility (ankles, knees, hips…)
- Short, active dynamic stretches (no more than 5 seconds)
- Running drills (high knees, butt kicks, side shuffles…)
- A few progressive strides
If you don’t feel warmed up enough, extend the jog or add drills. The warm-up is personal: build your own routine, with an intensity that rises gradually up to the strides.
Recover well to avoid injury
Recovery is when your body adapts to training. A few simple habits help you recover better:
- Sleep: your number one recovery tool. Get enough sleep, with schedules as regular as possible.
- Nutrition: after a hard session or long run, eat carbohydrates and protein in the following hours, especially if your next session is soon.
- Hydration: drink to thirst during exercise, and more when it is hot. After the session, mineral water can help you rehydrate.
- Self-massage: it helps release muscle tension (calves, thighs, glutes, lower back) and feels good.
- Stretching: useful for flexibility and comfort, after an easy run or on a rest day. It does not, however, reduce injury risk.
You can also use recovery socks, electrical muscle stimulation or cold baths if they work for you.
Listen to the warning signs
Mild discomfort that disappears once you are warmed up is not the same as pain that increases during the session, lasts into the next day or makes you change your stride. In that case, stop and get advice from a health professional. Our article on how to manage a running injury helps you react, and our return-to-running programmes help you come back without rushing.
Don’t be part of the 57%
You are now equipped to prevent running injuries. Remember the essentials: a load that rises gradually, strength work every week and real recovery. Keep in mind too that training is personal and depends on many factors.
A training plan that factors in your training load helps you progress without overdoing it. That is what the RunMotion Coach app offers, with built-in strength sessions. And listen to your body so you can back off in time: prevention is better than cure.
FAQ: preventing running injuries
Does stretching prevent running injuries?
No, not according to the available studies. A meta-analysis of controlled trials found no protective effect of stretching, unlike strength training. It remains useful for flexibility and comfort.
How many strength sessions should runners do per week?
One or two sessions of 20 minutes to 1 hour are a good benchmark. The data suggest that the more strength training volume, the lower the injury risk.
How much can I increase my mileage?
There is no universal rule. In novice runners, increasing volume by more than 30% over two weeks was associated with more injuries. Step up gradually and plan lighter weeks.
What should I do when pain appears while running?
If it increases during the run, lasts into the next day or changes your stride, stop and see a health professional. A few days off is better than an injury lasting several weeks.
Updated on 30 October 2026.
Sources: van Gent et al., Br J Sports Med, 2007 · Videbæk et al., Sports Med, 2015 · Nielsen et al., J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2014 · Lauersen et al., Br J Sports Med, 2014 · Lauersen et al., Br J Sports Med, 2018.
