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    "original_url": "https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/09\/28\/well\/move\/running-injury-prevention-tips.html?algo=combo_lda_unique_triton_clicks_decay_96_50_ranks&emc=edit_hh_20260929&fellback=false&imp_id=52828489579621&nl=well&pool=programmingnode%2Fe1f22e62-8dba-51f4-87bc-e552a87bb958&req_id=2202178574099326&segment_id=227259&surface=well-nl&variant=0_only_variant",
    "parsed_content": "AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTSupported bySKIP ADVERTISEMENT6 Things Experts Wish Every Runner Did to Avoid InjuryThese habits can help keep you healthy and strong.Share full articleCredit...Hayley WatsonBy Danielle FriedmanSept. 28, 2026Leer en espa\u00f1olRunning can benefit your cardiovascular system and your mental health. But without a few precautions, it can also hobble you with aches and pains.\u201cRunning is really unforgiving,\u201d said Dr. Carlin Senter, the chief of the primary-care sports medicine service at the University of California, San Francisco. \u201cYou can get away with having some weakness or injury\u201d with some other types of exercise, she said, but because running puts so much stress on your body, there\u2019s a greater risk of getting hurt.A 2024 study of 1,049 runners registered for the New York City Marathon found that more than 40 percent suffered an injury while training or during the race itself.We asked sports medicine doctors, physical therapists and coaches to share the habits they wish all runners practiced to avoid injury. Here are six strategies they swear by.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTBuild mileage gradually.Many running injuries come from pushing yourself too hard, too soon.A slow and steady training program builds your resilience and increases what your body can safely tolerate, said Stuart Warden, a professor of physical therapy at Indiana University Indianapolis.As a general rule of thumb, avoid big jumps in training. Strive to increase your total weekly mileage by no more than 10 to 20 percent, and consider alternating hard training weeks with lighter, \u201cdown\u201d weeks, Dr. Warden said.If you\u2019re preparing for a marathon, give yourself at least 12 weeks to 16 weeks of training \u2014 or longer if you\u2019re new to running \u2014 to help your body adapt to the demands of increased physical activity, the experts said.Keep your easy runs easy.Training for a marathon may be intense, but not every workout should be, said Pamela Geisel, a running coach and exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Most of your long runs should be at a truly easy pace, she said.\u201cWe scream it from the rooftops,\u201d she added, but runners still struggle to slow down.Long, easy runs are important for building aerobic endurance. They also train your body to rely on fat for energy versus carbohydrates, which can help to ensure you don\u2019t crash when tackling longer distances.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTSome runners feel pressure to push the pace when they train with a group or run club, Ms. Geisel said. Fitness apps that allow you to log and share your workouts can also make some runners feel competitive with others \u2014 or with themselves.\u201cThat public-facing information, while it can serve as a motivator, can also put on this layer of needing to keep up with the Joneses,\u201d she said. On easy runs, you should be able to have a conversation without gasping for air. \u201cLike, call your mom,\u201d she added.Prioritize rest.Runners should be disciplined about rest, said Becs Gentry, an elite marathoner and coach for Peloton. Rest \u201cis massively underrated, under discussed, underappreciated in the fitness world,\u201d she said.Down time is important for building strength. \u201cThe magic really happens on those recovery days,\u201d Ms. Geisel said. \u201cWe apply a stress, and then the body repairs to a greater base-line.\u201dIt\u2019s fine to run errands and stretch on recovery days, Dr. Geisel said, but don\u2019t, for example, take a dance cardio or challenging Pilates class.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTPrioritize sleep, especially in the two months before a marathon, when training injuries are most common, said Dr. Adam Tenforde, a sports medicine physician at Mass General Brigham. Sleep helps your muscles and bones repair themselves, and some studies suggest it can also affect performance, he said.Strength train.Running doesn\u2019t by itself build a lot of muscle.\u201cYou\u2019d be surprised how many runners are weak,\u201d Dr. Warden said. \u201cThey can run fast, they can run long distances, but when you actually test their strength, they\u2019re relatively weak.\u201dMany running injuries stem from muscle weaknesses and strength imbalances, he said, as other muscles or tendons try to compensate and become overworked.Strength training can help these imbalances. It can also help you run more efficiently, Ms. Geisel said.Experts recommend focusing on the muscle groups that you rely on most as a runner: your legs and glutes, as well as your core, which helps keep you upright and stabilizes your entire body. Exercises including squats, lunges, Romanian deadlifts, glute bridges, planks and side planks can work all of these areas.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTKeep your strength training plan simple, Ms. Geisel said: Pick a few exercises you enjoy, do them at least twice a week and make sure you\u2019re continually challenging yourself by increasing the weight you\u2019re lifting or the difficulty of your routine.Don\u2019t ignore pain.Most runners have been there: You\u2019re moving closer to your race goals, then you start to feel a persistent ache, or perhaps even a sharp jab. You hope it goes away, but it keeps coming back.This is where serious injuries can occur, Ms. Geisel said.\u201cSometimes we really try to just like pretend things aren\u2019t creeping up,\u201d Ms. Geisel said. But, she added, you want to address pain early on, before it changes your gait. The longer you wait, the more challenging the treatment and recovery can become.If you have pain that persists or worsens during training, get it checked out by a sports medicine specialist as soon as possible, the experts said.Use your fitness tracker as a tool \u2014 not a coach.Fitness trackers and apps can be helpful for monitoring things like heart rate, distance and patterns in your health over time. But many runners lean on them too heavily, the experts said.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTRunning technology can\u2019t take the complete picture into account, including hot or cold weather, uneven ground or life stresses, Dr. Tenforde said.Some runners fixate on what many fitness trackers call a \u201creadiness score,\u201d which claims to determine how hard to push yourself based on how fatigued you are and how you slept. But you\u2019re usually better off adjusting your workout based on how you feel, Ms. Geisel said. Plus, there can be value in training when the conditions seem less than ideal, she added. What if your readiness score is low on race day?Ms. Gentry, who removes her watch as soon as she gets home from a run, agreed. \u201cThe best thing you can do for your body is to be able to hear it,\u201d she said.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT",
    "published_at": "2026-09-28T09:02:29+00:00",
    "author_name": "Danielle Friedman",
    "site_name": "The New York Times",
    "section": "Well",
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    "ai_headline": "6 Things Experts Wish Every Runner Did to Avoid Injury",
    "ai_simplified_title": "Experts Advise Runners on Injury Prevention Habits",
    "ai_excerpt": "Running offers cardiovascular and mental health benefits but can lead to injuries without precautions. Experts share six strategies to help runners stay healthy and strong, emphasizing gradual mileage, easy runs, rest, strength training, and listening to their bodies.",
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