1 in 3 runners will need some help!
Running is one of the simplest ways to improve your health. No gym, no equipment, just you and a pair of trainers, unless you’re a barefoot runner.
Research suggests that around 1 in 3 runners will get injured at some point over a given period (Dempster et al., 2021). That’s a surprising proportion, especially for something we often think of as natural movement.
So what’s going on?
When we bundle together all of the running injury research three main risk factors emerge:
1: Running too frequently (e.g. more than 3 times per week without enough recovery)
2: Being new to running
3: And most importantly, having a previous injury within the last 12 months.
Solutions:
1: Be consistent but allow plenty of time for recovery, bones and tendons need longer to recover then muscles.
2: Build up gradually, get to know how your body responds and realise that not everyone has to run a marathon to call themselves a runner.
3: Rest and return will not work for injury recovery, rehabilitation and prevention is important to avoid reoccurrence.
What are the most common running injuries?
Most running injuries occur in the lower body—which isn’t surprising given the repetitive load. The knee is the most common problem area, followed by the lower leg, ankle and foot (Dempster et al., 2021).
If we zoom in further, the most common specific injuries tend to be:
1. Knee Pain
2. Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome)
3. Achilles tendinopathy
4. Plantar fasciitis
(Lopes et al., 2012)
In simple terms, these are all overload (overuse) injuries. They don’t usually happen from one bad step, they build up over time when the body can’t quite keep up with the demands you’re placing on it.
The biggest mistake runners make:
If there’s one theme that consistently shows up in the research, it’s this:
It’s not running itself that causes injuries—it’s doing too much too soon and ignoring your body.
Don’t I just need expensive trainers?
Running shoes often get a lot of attention online—but the evidence is less clear.
Footwear, foot strike, and biomechanics may influence how forces move through the body, but they’re not consistently shown to be the main cause of injury. In reality, they’re just part of a much bigger picture.
If your training load is poorly managed, even “perfect” technique and shoes won’t protect you.
So where does RockTape fit in here?
RockTape can help to reduce pain and improve movement awareness during both running and rehabilitation. Our RockTape practitioners do not advocate masking pain with tape but the reality is that some people will choose to do this in the short term so they can complete a running event or competition before they surrender to their bodies need for rest and recovery.
Our Education Director Physio Daniel Lawrence shows us 4 self-taping applications for the most common running pains. Click the image below to watch the YouTube Short
Mentioned Studies:
Dempster, J., Dutheil, F. and Ugbolue, U.C. (2021) *The prevalence of lower extremity injuries in running and associated risk factors: A systematic review*. Physical Activity and Health, 5(1), pp. 133–145.
Lopes, A.D., Hespanhol Junior, L.C., Yeung, S.S. and Costa, L.O.P. (2012) *What are the main running-related musculoskeletal injuries? A systematic review*. Sports Medicine, 42(10), pp. 891–905.