Running Injuries

Injuries from running are shockingly high.

There is an excellent review of academic studies on injury rates I recently read, and it has critical takeaways for those interested in running as a leisure or athletic activity:

Running injuries. A review of the epidemiological literature

Here are some choice excerpts of its abstract:

Given the limitations of the studies it appears that for the average recreational runner, who is steadily training and who participates in a long distance run every now and then, the overall yearly incidence rate for running injuries varies between 37 and 56%.

This is shockingly high. Of course, the injury risk is massively outweighed by the longterm health effects of physical exercise of any kind.

What is the root cause of these injuries?

About 50 to 75% of all running injuries appear to be overuse injuries due to the constant repetition of the same movement.

…The prevention of sports injuries should focus on changes of behaviour by health education. Health education on running injuries should primarily focus on the importance of complete rehabilitation and the early recognition of symptoms of overuse, and on the provision of training guidelines.

People run–and do not know how to listen to their bodies.

Listen to your body!