Based on work by Dr. Rich Willy, University of Montana
Running injuries can feel like they come out of nowhere — one week you’re cruising through your training, the next you’re limping home. But most of the time, injuries aren’t random and they’re not because you’re “running wrong”.
Dr. Rich Willy describes most running injuries as a simple equation: load exceeding capacity. In other words, you’ve asked your body to do more than it can currently handle. Being injured sucks, but the good news is that you can make small changes for big improvements.
📊 Fun Facts About Running Injuries
Injuries often peak 3 weeks after a training load error!
Every running step sends 6-8× your body weight through your calves and 4-6× your body weightthrough your knees. That’s a lot of demand on your joints/tissues over a 10 km run!
🚨 Why Do Runners Get Injured?
Training load jumps too fast — more kilometres, speed work, or hills than your body can adapt to.
Old injuries — your biggest risk factor for new ones.
Age-related patterns — younger runners see more knee and shin pain; older runners often battle Achilles or hip issues.
Recovery killers — poor sleep, high stress, lack of strength training, or even fear of movement can slow down how quickly we recover post run.
⚖️ Understanding “Load Capacity”
Think of your body like a sponge — it can only soak up so much stress before it starts to leak.
Training load = how far, how fast, how often you run.
Capacity = your leg and core strength, general tissue health, recovery habits, nutrition, age, and overall life (work, social) stressors.
When training load rises faster than capacity, tissues break down faster than they can rebuild and regenerate. That’s when we become more vulnerable to running related injuries.
🛠️ How to Increase Load Capacity
1. Strength Training
Heavy, slow strength training (like squats, lunges and calf raises) build resilient muscles and tendons that can handle more running load.
2. Plyometrics
Jumping, bounding, and skipping drills train your legs to store and release energy efficiently.
3. Gait Retraining
Adjusting your step rate or stride can reduce joint stress — Research suggests more than 160 steps per minute will help reduce injuries.
4. Manage Stress
Managing life and work stress improves recovery and increases you’re overall capacity, alternative techniques likes mindfulness, eating a balanced diet and having rest day’s are extremely helpful.
📈 Smarter Running for Faster Recovery
If you’re coming back from injury, don’t dive straight into your pre-injury program. Start with walk:run intervals, increasing the run volume slowly; aiming no more than 15% increase per week. This is where a guided return to run program is beneficial. Mild discomfort (0-3/10) can be okay, but sharp or lingering pain means you need to back off.
✅ Key Takeaways for Runners
Injuries happen when tissue load outweighs tissue capacity.
Build capacity year-round with strength work, cross-training, and structured recovery.
Increase intensity/volume gradually – this is where a guided program is important!
Complete rest days are essential for injury prevention.
Be patient and think long-term; don’t cram running volume before races.
Written by: Jordy Schmidt, Physiotherapist
*Please note these blog posts are for information purposes ONLY. This may not apply to your specific situation, so please seek advice from a qualified health professional.