A woman running on the sand with water in the background

Running Injuries

Injuries may happen in one unfortunate moment. These acute injuries are more easily treated and recovery can be more quick compared to chronic issues.

Most running injuries are chronic, in fact, the chances of having some kind of injury related to running is about 70% per year. That means if you run for more than one year, you have probably experienced some kind of injury.

Female runners select the button below for more information about what might be causing your injuries.

Female Runners

Chronic Injuries & Prevention

Most chronic injuries are traced to poor form, which is often encouraged by poor footwear. 98% of all shoes are not “foot-shaped” and have elevated heels. These factors lead to poor running form and stride. The padding below your foot, along with poor form/heel strike will actually make you hit the grounder HARDER than if you were to hit the ground with no shoe at all.

Once you have good shoes, take time to learn and practice good form, stride, and footstrike. Here are a few “quick tips” to get you started.

Run quietly
Short, quick strides (3 steps/second = 180 steps/minute)
Land below your center of gravity, not in front
Elbows high and tight behind your back
Splay the toes and try to dig into the ground as if you have “cat-claws,” using pads of toes instead of tips
Land on the midfoot/outer forefoot
Correct gait cycle goes forefoot-heel-forefoot, heel barely touching (instead of heel-forefoot)

Good Shoes

The Natural Running Center

Mark Cucuzella, MD, displays great form and shows some of the best drills and exercises for developing a good “natural running” technique.

Altra Founder Golden Harper’s Running Technique

Harper founded the company that makes some of the best foot-shaped shoes. They have variable padding and are great for transitioning to a natural running form.

Good Form Running

Former Olympian, Grant Robison, teaches you how to run faster, easier, and run injury-free.

Vivobarefoot Technique

Vivobarefoot is a company that makes great foot-shaped shoes, with little to no padding, which is great for ground-feel and training your bones, muscles, and joints to work better. The shoes are best used after a gradual transition with shoes that have padding (like Altras) or from the beginning but with a gradual and thoughtful slow increase in distance and intensity.