What Are Running Injuries?

Running injuries are aches or pains that start suddenly (acute) or build over time (overuse) as your training load increases. Most issues affect the knee, shin, ankle, and foot, although hip and back symptoms can also flare with fatigue and poor load tolerance.

New to impact sport, or mixing in other outdoor training? See our walking injuries guide for lower-load injury patterns, and our cycling injuries page for common cross-training problems.

Community-level studies commonly report injury rates of roughly 5 running-related injuries per 1000 running-hours, with overuse injuries making up a large share.

Who Gets Injured?

Both competitive and recreational runners get injured. However, risk often rises when training changes faster than your tissues can adapt. That can happen after:

• a sudden jump in weekly kilometres
• adding speed work, hills, or trail sessions
• switching shoes (or returning in old, worn shoes)
• coming back after illness, travel, or a long break

Next, fatigue changes your form and reduces control. As a result, you may notice “niggles” that keep returning in the same area, especially if you have a prior injury history. Performance also suffers because you shorten stride, avoid hills, or skip key sessions.

Where Do Injuries Occur?

• Foot — repeated impact, footwear mismatch, and longer runs can trigger heel and arch pain (see plantar fasciitis).
• Ankle — uneven ground and fatigue can increase sprain risk (see ankle sprain).
• Shin — load spikes, hard surfaces, and hills can aggravate shin splints or bone stress symptoms.
• Calf/Achilles — speed sessions and hills can flare Achilles tendinopathy.
• Knee — downhill running and volume increases can worsen runner’s knee or lateral knee pain such as ITB friction syndrome.
• Hip — weak hip control and fatigue can contribute to gluteal or groin overload (see hip pain).
• Back — stiffness, load intolerance, and reduced conditioning can flare lower back pain.

Why Running Causes Injuries

Running repeats the same impact pattern thousands of times per session. Therefore, small load errors add up quickly. In particular, runners often get into trouble when they increase volume and intensity at the same time, then fail to allow recovery between hard sessions.

Surface and footwear matter too. For example, long blocks on hard paths, steep cambered roads, or sudden trail running can increase stress through the foot, shin, and knee. Similarly, racing flats or a big shoe change can shift load before your legs are ready.

Most Common Running Injuries

• Shin splints (MTSS)
  Shin pain that builds with impact load, especially after hills or fast increases in weekly kilometres.
• Runner’s knee (patellofemoral pain)
  Front-of-knee pain that often flares with downhill running, stairs, or higher-volume blocks.
• Achilles tendinopathy
  Stiffness or pain in the Achilles that commonly worsens with speed work, hills, and sudden load spikes.
• Plantar fasciitis
  Heel or arch pain that is often worse after rest, then eases as you warm up.
• Stress fracture / bone stress injury
  More localised pain that can linger after training and worsen with hopping or impact.

How Physiotherapy, EP & Massage Can Help

Physiotherapy for running injuries starts with finding the driver of your symptoms, not just the sore spot. Your physiotherapist may assess:

• training load history (what changed, and when)
• single-leg control, landing mechanics, and running form (when relevant)
• strength and endurance through calf, foot, and hip muscles
• mobility limits (for example calf length and ankle range)

Next, your plan often includes a clear return-to-running progression, strength targets, and load rules you can follow. Exercise physiology can support conditioning and structured training progression, especially if you want to keep fitness while reducing impact load.

Massage can play a supportive role by helping manage muscle soreness and tolerance during a training block. However, it works best alongside a load plan and exercise-based rehab rather than as a standalone option.

If you want broader help with sport-related rehab, see: sports injury physiotherapy.

When To See a Physiotherapist

Book an assessment if you notice any of the following:

• pain that persists or worsens across runs
• swelling, bruising, or a sudden “pop” sensation
• reduced load tolerance (you cannot run the same distance without flare-ups)
• loss of control, limping, or giving way
• recurring pain in the same area after “rest and retry”

Early assessment often leads to a safer and faster return to sport.

Injury Prevention Tips

• Change one thing at a time: increase distance or intensity, not both in the same week.
• Keep easy days easy: use low-intensity runs to build volume without constant strain.
• Build lower-leg capacity: calf, soleus, and foot strength often helps with resilience.
• Use a smart warm-up: prime hips, calves, and ankles before harder sessions (see warming up).
• Plan recovery: sleep, nutrition, and spacing hard sessions reduces fatigue-related form breakdown.
• Review footwear: match shoes to your goals and replace worn pairs before they fail.
• Cross-train when needed: cycling, swimming, or strength work can maintain fitness with less impact.

Returning Safely to Running

A graded return beats a “test run” approach. Start with run-walk intervals, check next-day symptoms, and keep at least 48 hours between early impact sessions. Then, build gradually while continuing strength and control work.

FAQs

Why do runners get injured?

Most running injuries come from load rising faster than your body can adapt. Sudden changes in weekly kilometres, hills, speed work, terrain, or shoes commonly contribute.

How can you prevent running injuries?

Progress training gradually, strengthen key areas (calf, foot, hip), and keep recovery consistent. Change one training variable at a time, and address early warning pain before it becomes persistent.

Where do most running injuries occur?

Most problems involve the foot, shin, ankle, and knee. Common examples include shin splints and runner’s knee.

When should you stop running with pain?

Stop if pain changes your stride, worsens during the run, or lingers into the next day. Also, pause sooner for sharp, localised pain, swelling, or suspected bone stress symptoms.

Do I need a running assessment?

If your pain keeps recurring, a running assessment can identify load errors, strength gaps, and technique factors so your plan matches your goals and weekly schedule.

What to do next

If running injuries are limiting your training, our physiotherapists can assess movement, guide load management, and support a safe return.

References (2021+)

1. Predictors of Running-Related Injury Among Recreational Runners (prospective cohort). PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38311884/
2. The Association Between Running Injuries and Training Parameters: A Systematic Review. PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9528699/
3. Characteristics of Lower Limb Running-Related Injuries in Trail Runners: A Systematic Review (2024). DOI. https://doi.org/10.5334/paah.375
4. Prevalence, incidence and characteristics of musculoskeletal injuries in Athletics: systematic review and meta-analysis (2026). BJSM. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2026/02/05/bjsports-2025-110541