As peak running season begins, runners are shaking off the winter doldrums and ramping up their training. But as enticing as it is to twist the throttle, be careful not to let enthusiasm overtake common sense. Despite the latest in shoe technology, and cautions about training load and inadequate recovery, studies report 50 to 80 per cent of runners get injured every year — a number that hasn’t changed in years.
Theories about why the rate of injury is so high are plentiful and there’s no shortage of advice when injuries do happen. But you’d think after all these years, we’d be a little further ahead when it comes to injury prevention among runners.
The latest study to weigh in on running injuries was published in a recent edition of Research in Sports Medicine. Acknowledging most injuries are likely linked to a combination of factors, a group of Brazilian researchers polled 299 mostly amateur runners about their training, lifestyle habits and history of injury over an 82-week period (January 2024 to July 2025). Their objective was to look beyond training load and footwear to see if other factors contribute to injury.
“The present study aimed to describe the epidemiology of injuries in road runners and investigate the possible associations with individual characteristics, training volume and routine, participation in events, sleep habits, nutrition, supplementation and emotional aspects,” the researchers said.
Not surprisingly, only under 50 per cent (47.2%) of the runners reported an injury, that when factored into total training hours resulted in an incidence rate of 2.29 injuries per 1,000 hours of running.
“This finding reinforces that approximately half of running practitioners experience at least one injury episode over a one-to-two-year period,” the researchers said.
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But unlike other studies that pointed to training load as the likely culprit, the results revealed age was a better predictor of injury than weekly mileage. Turns out older runners with a greater number of running miles under their belt were more likely to get injured than their younger counterparts with a shorter running career.
“These findings reflect the cumulative and adaptive nature of running, whereby tissue microdamage resulting from repetitive overload may progress to inflammatory or degenerative conditions in the absence of adequate recovery,” the researchers reported.
The knee was the most common site of injury, followed by the Achilles tendon/calf and the ankle. With more than 70 per cent of reported injuries located in the lower extremities, it’s further proof the repetitive stress of pounding the pavement takes its toll.
The other big reveal of the study wasn’t in what factors were most likely to cause injury, but rather what factors had no effect on injury risk.
Differences in height, weight and weekly training volume proved insignificant when it came to injury rates. The same goes for warming up. From mobility and muscle activation routines to traditional old-school warm-ups, there was no difference in injury rates among those with a pre-exercise routine and those never warmed up before heading out for a run.
Another interesting finding of the study is what runners themselves believe is the source of their injury. Lack of conditioning and muscular strength, overtraining, insufficient recovery and an absence of professional training/advice (coach, trainer, nutritionist, physical therapist) is what they blame when faced with an injury. Yet the researchers point out none of those conditions proved statistically significant.
Still inconclusive is the role sleep and diet have on injury rates. Among this cohort of runners, 64 per cent felt they got enough sleep and 70 per cent were satisfied with their diet. Two-thirds took dietary supplements, with creatine, carbohydrate gels or drinks, whey/protein and vitamins the most popular choices. Yet there was little to suggest good sleep hygiene and nutritional practices influence injury rates despite both generally considered important to optimal recovery between workouts.
Clearly, the results of this study suggest the cause of running injuries is more complex than just logging too many miles without sufficient recovery. And the sweet spot between training too much and not enough is likely different for every runner, making it hard to rely on one generalized prescription or definition of overtraining.
The study also furthers the theory injuries can’t always be linked to a single cause. Most runners are guilty of overtraining, insufficient recovery and/or doing too much too soon at least once over the course of their running career. And since other studies have suggested a previous injury increases the chances of a recurrence, once you take time off because of pain or need to seek professional help to treat an injury the more likely it is miscues in training and/or self-care can force a halt to your weekly runs.
So, with the good weather putting a much-needed spring in your step, don’t forget to tick all the boxes when it comes to injury prevention, especially if you’re a mature runner who’s been pounding the pavement for years. Be mindful of your training load, spend more time focusing on recovery, get enough sleep, refuel after a long workout and resist the urge to go out too hard or too long early in the season. Patience at this time of year increases the chances of an injury-free season.
