31/03/2026
Part 2 in our mini series - strategies to avoid getting a running injury 🗣️
1 - Listen to your body. One of the most valuable skills a runner can develop is knowing when to adapt the plan. Injuries occur from a lack of flexibility in training. Life presents many curveballs, from bad sleep to busy, stressful days; these all impact how your body can tolerate training. Missing one run is more beneficial than pushing through and missing crucial weeks due to injury. Aches and pains are warning signs from the body, not to be ignored.
2 - Prioritise Prehab and Strength Training. Placing the body under load in the gym will not only strengthen the muscles, but also the joints and bones. Stronger bones, muscles and joints will therefore lead to a reduced risk of injury. Research suggests that heavy, slow resistance training with low repetitions is particularly effective for runners. Lighter, high-rep training closely mimics running itself (which is being trained on the roads), therefore leading to fewer strength adaptations. Single-leg exercises are great for runners, some examples include:
Bulgarian-Split Squats
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts
Copenhagen Adductor Planks
Hip-Hikes
Single-Leg Calf Raises.
3 - Manual Therapy. Regularly checking-in with a healthcare professional (Chiropractor, Sports Therapist, Physiotherapist) is valuable during marathon training. Treatment supports muscular recovery, helps address movement restrictions, and identifies potential problematic areas early. Catching issues before they escalate often means slightly modifying training rather than needing to stop altogether, helping runners stay on track for optimal performance.
Get in touch with any questions!
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📧hello@moveshrewsbury.co.uk
