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Several possible studies

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Why do runners get so many injuries? And does strength training really make a difference? (opens in a new tab)

medicalxpress.com · 2026-10-09

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Short answer

Several possible studies

No clear answer.

More than one paper fits the article's details, and none fits well enough to single out. Checking claims against the wrong study would be worse than not checking them at all.

Checked against the study summary. The full text wasn't available, so some details couldn't be settled either way.

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NewsLink checks it

Several studies could be the source of this story.

More than one paper fits the article's details, and none fits well enough to single out. Checking claims against the wrong study would be worse than not checking them at all.

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Several studies could fit.

More than one paper fits the article's details, and none fits well enough to single out. Checking claims against the wrong study would be worse than not checking them at all.

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The research anchor for the report.

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The papers it could be

Nearby papers when the source is unclear.

and 32 more considered

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What the story asserts. With no source study, there is nothing to check these against.

Claim 1 of 8Not checkedNovice runners report around 18 injuries per 1,000 hours of running, more than double the rate in more advanced runners, and most injuries affect the knee, ankle and lower leg and are overuse injuries rather than acute muscle strains.View evidenceHide evidence

As statedaround 18 injuries per 1,000 hours of running; more than double

Not checked

NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.

Claim 2 of 8Not checkedRunning fitness can improve within as little as two weeks, while tendon adaptations typically take at least 12 weeks of consistent heavy loading and bone remodeling can take months or years, creating a mismatch between fitness gains and tissue adaptation.View evidenceHide evidence

As statedwithin as little as two weeks; at least 12 weeks; months, if not years

Not checked

NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.

Claim 3 of 8Not checkedRunning alone may not do much to improve muscle strength or size, even though calf muscles and the Achilles tendon handle forces of several times body weight with each stride.View evidenceHide evidence

As statedforces of several times your body weight

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NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.

Claim 4 of 8Not checkedA large meta-analysis of 25 studies involving 26,610 participants found strength training programs reduced sports injuries by more than 60%.View evidenceHide evidence

As statedreduced sports injuries by more than 60%

Not checked

NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.

Claim 5 of 8Not checkedA more recent meta-analysis found that, on average, strength training programs do not reduce injuries in runners, although supervised programs did show a positive effect and low adherence may explain the mixed result.View evidenceHide evidence

Not checked

NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.

Claim 6 of 8Not checkedStrength training makes runners more economical, meaning they use less energy for each step, and may improve running performance even if injury reduction is small.View evidenceHide evidence

Not checked

NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.

Claim 7 of 8Not checkedThe article recommends heavy, low-repetition strength exercises such as calf raises, split squats, squats and deadlifts, plus plyometric exercises like pogo hops, tuck jumps and single-leg hops.View evidenceHide evidence

As stated5–6 reps

Not checked

NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.

Claim 8 of 8Not checkedTo reduce injury risk, the article says runners should avoid large spikes in weekly distance, eat enough carbohydrates, protein, calcium and vitamin D, and consider some runs on grass because it may reduce impact compared with harder surfaces.View evidenceHide evidence

As statedincrease running distance by no more than a couple of kilometers per week

Not checked

NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.

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No single source study was found.

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No exact source, but these papers are close.

Crossref, PubMed, Europe PMC · 35 candidate papers

And 30 more candidates considered.