Whether you are a road, trail, or fell runner.
Whether you are a 10K, half marathon, or ultra runner.

There is one thing all runners have in common—the impact and stress on the body.

The level of impact varies depending on:

• Ground covering: road, trail, sand, etc.

• Degree of incline and decline

• Footwear

• Weekly mileage

• Rest days

• Cross-training

• Lifestyle

• Occupation

But the great thing about running is that anyone can do it, right? Any age, any gender, anywhere. Running can be a hobby, part of another sport, or even a profession. It’s inexpensive to start—throw on a pair of trainers, and off you go.

But here’s the issue: who taught you how to run?

No Instruction

Throughout school, I had experience and instruction in a wide range of sports:

• Gymnastics

• Hockey

• Athletics—I was taught how to throw a javelin and a shot put

• Netball

• Swimming

• Badminton

• Trampolining

• Tennis

• Even country dancing

I was never taught how to run.

I ran for the county in the Junior Cross Country Championships without a lesson. I competed in 100m and 200m sprints in school without ever being taught how to run. I played ladies' netball and never had a lesson in running. I downloaded Couch to 5K and still didn’t receive any instruction.

Have you ever had a lesson in running?

My husband runs ultramarathons and has never had one. He is a member of a running club but has never been coached on technique. He ran the Men's Newent 4.5-mile Fun Run at age 10, but nobody taught him how to run.

Are you seeing the problem here?

Andrew Biel (2014) states that, compared to standing, walking doubles the pressure on your feet, while running increases it fourfold. If you are putting four times the pressure through your feet with every step, without understanding how that affects your body, you could be just one run away from a serious injury without realising it.

We assume running is as natural as walking. But if most of us aren’t walking correctly in the modern world, it’s highly unlikely we are running correctly either.

No Safety Measures

With the best intentions, you might download Couch to 10K or a 16-week training plan to become healthier or challenge yourself. These plans focus on increasing mileage gradually to avoid injury, which is important, but where are the safety measures?

The more miles you run, the more likely you are to experience an injury—it’s the same principle as anything repetitive. The more you drive a car, the higher the likelihood of an accident. The more hours you spend at a computer, the greater the risk of postural issues or repetitive strain injury.

But we have safety measures in place for these risks.

• Driving: Speed limits, seat belts, airbags

• Office work: Ergonomic workstation assessments, mandatory breaks

What safety measures do runners have to prevent impact-related injuries?

• High-visibility clothing

• Cushioned trainers (more on this another time)

• Waterproof gear, head torch, and compass (for night or off-road running)

• Hydration

• A handful of jelly babies?

While some of these help in specific situations—high-vis clothing may prevent a car accident, and a head torch can stop you from falling in a rabbit hole—none of them reduce the risk of the most common running injuries: overuse, imbalance, and instability.

Strains, Sprains, and Serious Injury

Training plans build mileage to help runners cross the finish line—whether running, walking, or crawling. But they don’t account for how your individual biomechanics, posture, technique, and lifestyle impact your risk of injury.

A bricklayer, an office worker, and a hairdresser could all follow the same marathon plan, but their daily movement patterns, workload, and previous injuries will influence their injury risk.

If you have poor running technique, incorrect foot placement, bunion-related compensation, or an externally rotated femur (which often leads to overpronation, collapsed arches, plantar fasciitis, and ankle instability), then simply increasing mileage will exacerbate these issues and increase your risk of injury.

You’ve probably heard of joint pain caused by wear and tear. What’s often overlooked is that muscle imbalance leads to joint wear and tear. This can be prevented with education, movement awareness, and biomechanical adjustments before mileage increases.

Ignoring the Warning Signs

Instability leads to strains, sprains, and more serious injuries, including fractures. If you struggle with balance, you may have stability issues—this is particularly risky for trail and fell runners, as well as those whose balance naturally declines with age.

Be honest—how many aches and pains have you ignored, hoping they would go away on their own? How many are you ignoring right now?

I ignored a pain in my foot once. I was teaching Step and Aqua Aerobics on a hard, tiled poolside while managing a busy schedule as a self-employed, single parent. I carried on.

Helen, my fitness manager, suggested I go to A&E.

I left A&E on crutches, in a plaster cast, with a fractured foot. My daughter’s fourth birthday party was the next day. My son was two. It was a tough weekend.

When I returned to the fracture clinic, the consultant removed the cast, examined my foot and X-ray, and explained that I hadn’t fractured my foot after all. I had strained the ligaments within a joint of an extra bone in my foot, called an Accessory Navicular.

I found out I have extra bones in my feet that day—something I now use as my fun fact at networking events.

The reality? I had to wear a space boot for two weeks, couldn’t drive or teach, and was forced to take an enforced break.

Does your training plan allow time for an enforced break?

Take Action Before Injury Strikes

Many runners are on the brink of an injury without realising it.

• Is yours just around the corner?

• Will it happen on your next run?

• Will it strike at your next big event?

The key to injury prevention isn’t just increasing mileage gradually—it’s improving movement mechanics, foot function, and balance before problems arise.

If you want to run stronger, longer, and injury-free, start by assessing your movement:

• Can you balance on one leg for 30 seconds without wobbling?

• Do your knees collapse inward when you land?

• Do you feel tension in your lower legs and feet after short runs?

These are just a few of the warning signs that should never be ignored. Running isn’t just about moving forward—it’s about moving well.

Are you training for longevity, or are you gambling with injury?

Final Thoughts

Understanding how you run is just as important as how far you run.

Invest in knowledge before your next mile—because the best injury prevention plan starts long before you lace up your shoes.

Join withNIKKi to learn more about your amazing body