Common Mistakes Causing Injury In Runners

The training is going well. You’re gaining momentum, building up the mileage, feeling fitter and finally entered that goal race. Then, seemingly, out of nowhere, you develop a niggle! A twinge in your knee, a tightness in the calf or pain in your shins…

I started running while at university and can distinctly remember the day I hit the 10k distance. This was back in 2015. I decided to take running more seriously and entered a half-marathon. Through training for this, I developed various niggles, including shin splints and runner’s knee. 

Ten years on, as both a physiotherapist and a competitive runner, I am here to discuss some of the mistakes that lead to running injuries (many of which I have made myself and continue to see in my clinic).

Mistake #1: Doing too much too soon… 

When running starts to feel good and easier, people often begin to set goals, such as a 10K or half-marathon. You start ramping up the volume. More distance, more speed, more hills, more often.

But your body doesn’t work like that.

Every time you run, you’re placing stress on your muscles, tendons, bones, and joints. They will adapt and get stronger, but it takes time. Increase your training too quickly, and your tissues don’t get a chance to recover and reinforce. 

And that’s when things start to break down.

Warning signs that you might be doing too much, too soon: 

• Soreness that lingers more than a day or two
• Feeling unusually stiff or heavy during runs
• Trouble sleeping or feeling sore in the morning 
• Little niggles that you might run be able to run through but that gradually worsen over time. 

The advice: 

• Follow a gradual build-up: Use the 10% rule as a rough guide (don’t increase weekly mileage or long runs by more than 10% per week).
• Make sure to have a few rest days off from running per week.
• Listen to fatigue, not just pain. If you feel run down, it’s okay to back off.

Mistake #2: Ignoring strength training…

The common assumption is that running is enough to make your legs strong. However, research shows that running builds more endurance within the muscle, rather than strength. 

If you want your body to handle the stresses it is put under with each repetitive stride of running, you need to actively strengthen the tissues that absorb that load. Otherwise, you’re more likely to break down, especially when the terrain gets more demanding or you increase speed.

Why add strength training to your programme?

• It reduces your risk of injury and makes your body resilient
• It improves your running economy, so you use less energy per stride
• It gives you enhanced power and control (especially on hills and uneven ground)

The Advice: 

Add two short strength sessions per week that include:

• Single-leg step-ups (build power and balance)
• Calf raises (target the Achilles and lower leg)
• Single-leg Romanian deadlifts (control through the hips and hamstrings)
• Core work (planks, side planks, dead bugs)

White House Clinic offers a Strength and Conditioning session for Runners on Monday evenings, as well as various Pilates sessions. 

Mistake #3: Treating the symptom, not the pattern

Running injuries aren't usually isolated: they develop through movement patterns, training stress, and overload. Resting, foam rolling, or icing might alleviate your symptoms – but they're unlikely to change the source.

To get past the problem, you have to address the root cause.

Common patterns we see:

• Achilles pain is linked to weak calves or a sudden jump in hill training
• Runner’s knee from hip weakness or lack of strength around the glutes
• Shin pain from overstriding or poor foot control

The Advice:  

A physio assessment can help identify movement patterns, weaknesses, and tightness, looking beyond the site of pain and at the whole body/running movement. 

Think of recovery as an active process: it involves rehab exercises, gait adjustments, and load management, not just ice and rest.

If you are new to running and dealing with a cycle of frustrating niggles as you try to build up your training, get in touch for some personalised advice, assessment and rehab to help make you a more resilient runner.