Injury Prevention
The 10% rule, the most common running injuries, and how to actually avoid them.
The most common cause of running injuries isn't bad form or bad shoes — it's doing too much, too soon. The classic guideline is to increase weekly mileage by no more than about 10% per week, though the real principle is broader: any sudden spike in volume or intensity is when injuries happen.
The most frequent running injuries — runner's knee, IT band syndrome, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy — are almost all overuse injuries tied to a training-load spike, not a single bad step. That's good news: they're largely preventable through smart progression.
Pain that's sharp, one-sided, or gets worse during a run is a stop signal, not a push-through signal. Dull, general soreness that eases as you warm up is usually fine. Learning that distinction early saves months of downtime later.
The best injury-prevention toolkit is unglamorous: gradual mileage progression, 1-2 strength sessions a week, adequate sleep, and taking easy days genuinely easy. None of it is exciting, all of it works.
This is educational content, not medical advice — talk to a doctor about anything specific to your health or an existing injury.