Many runners from Oakville and Burlington have been training hard throughout the winter in preparation for the upcoming Chilly Half Marathon and Around the Bay races. Whether you’re gearing up for your first race in 2025 or you’re a seasoned runner, one question to ask yourself is: Are you also doing exercises to prevent injury?
Running is a great way to stay active, but many runners struggle with injuries. A new study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2024) investigated how different exercise programs affect injury rates in runners and found that one approach stood out as the most effective for injury prevention.
Continue reading to learn more about the study and which exercises you need to start doing.
Study Overview: What Did They Test?
- 325 recreational runners split into three exercise groups:
- Hip & Core Group: Strengthened hip and core muscles.
- Ankle & Foot Group: Focused on ankle and foot strengthening.
- Control Group: Did static stretching.
- All the groups followed the same running program, with injuries tracked over 24 weeks.
Key Findings: How to Reduce Injury Risk
- The Hip & Core Group had significantly fewer overuse injuries (39% lower) and fewer acute injuries (52% lower).
- The Ankle & Foot Group did not see a reduction in injuries and had a higher rate of acute injuries.
What This Means for Runners
- Strengthening your hip and core muscles can help prevent running-related injuries.
- Simply working on ankle and foot strength may not be enough and could even increase injury risk.
- A well-rounded approach to injury prevention includes core stability, hip strength, and proper training progression.
Hip and Core Exercise Program
Here are the key exercises included in the study. These exercises should be done 3x/week and should include a good warm up for 5-10 minutes beforehand.
Front Plank
Hold 20-40 seconds 2-3x
The front plank is a fundamental core-strengthening exercise that builds stability and endurance, essential for runners. Start with a plank from your hands and knees, maintaining a neutral spine and engaging your core to develop foundational strength. Progress to a plank from your elbows, which shifts more demand to the core and shoulders while minimizing strain on the wrists. Finally, advance to a plank with leg lifts, alternating lifting each leg to challenge stability, improve hip control, and further engage the glutes—key muscles for running efficiency and injury prevention.
Side Plank
Hold 20-40 seconds 2-3x
The side plank is a powerful exercise for strengthening the core, particularly the obliques, hips, and shoulders—key muscles for stability and injury prevention in runners. Begin with a side plank from your elbow and foot, keeping your body in a straight line and engaging your core and glutes. Progress to a side plank from your hand, which increases the challenge by demanding more shoulder and arm stability. Finally, advance to a Copenhagen plank, where your top leg is supported on a bench while the lower leg hovers underneath, further activating the inner thigh muscles and enhancing overall core control.
Pelvic Lift
Hold 20-40 seconds 2-3x
The pelvic lift is an excellent exercise for strengthening the glutes, hamstrings, and core—essential for running power and stability. Start with a bridge, lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat, lifting your hips while engaging your glutes and core. Progress to a single-leg bridge with leg extension, where one leg is lifted straight while alternating sides, increasing the challenge on the posterior chain. Finally, advance to a single-leg bridge with the lifted leg bent at 90 degrees, further targeting hip stability and control, which are crucial for efficient running mechanics.
Hip Abductor Strength
15-20 Reps 2-3x
Hip abductor strength is crucial for runners to maintain stability, improve stride efficiency, and reduce injury risk. Start with a banded squat, placing a resistance band just above your knees and performing squats while keeping tension on the band to activate the glutes and hip abductors. Progress to a banded lateral walk, staying in a slight squat position and stepping sideways to further engage the glute medius. Finally, advance to a banded forward and backward walk, which enhances hip control in multiple directions, reinforcing strength and stability for better running mechanics.
Hip Flexor Strength
8-12 Reps 2-3x
To progressively strengthen your hip flexors, start with lying straight leg raises, focusing on controlled movement and core engagement. Next, progress to lying hip flexion with a resistance band, adding resistance to challenge the muscles further. Finally, advance to standing hip flexion with a band, which mimics functional movement patterns and improves strength and stability.
Hamstring Strength
10-12 Reps 2-3x
To progressively build hamstring strength, start with banded deadlifts, focusing on controlled movement and proper hip hinge mechanics. Once you’ve built a solid foundation, advance to bridges with hamstring curls using both legs, engaging your glutes and hamstrings throughout the motion. For the most challenging progression, move to a single-leg hamstring curl in a bridge position, which demands greater stability, strength, and control.
Side Lunges
8-12 Reps 2-3x
The side lunge is a great exercise for improving lateral strength, mobility, and stability—key for runners looking to enhance hip and knee control. Start with alternating side lunges, stepping side to side while keeping the chest lifted and engaging the glutes and inner thighs. Progress to a weighted side lunge, holding a dumbbell at your chest to add resistance and build strength. Finally, advance to a weighted side lunge with arm circles, which challenges coordination, shoulder mobility, and core stability while maintaining lower-body control—helping runners develop full-body strength and balance.
Lunges
8-12 Reps 2-3x
The lunge is a versatile exercise that targets the legs and core, improving strength, stability, and balance. Start with a stationary lunge, focusing on proper form—keeping the front knee aligned over the ankle and engaging the core. This builds foundational strength in the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Progress to a split lunge with one leg elevated (Bulgarian split squat), which increases the challenge by demanding greater balance and unilateral strength. Finally, advance to walking lunges, which mimic the forward motion of running while enhancing coordination and functional strength.
If you’re a runner looking to prevent future injuries, incorporating these exercises into your routine can help strengthen key muscle groups, improve mobility, and enhance overall performance. And remember, if you’re experiencing pain or want to ensure you’re on the right track with your training, don’t hesitate to contact Sheddon Physiotherapy and Sports Clinic for expert care and guidance. Our team is dedicated to helping you get back on your feet, safely and effectively.
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-Very thorough and generous with information. Friendly team that is very solutions-focused with practical advice and realistic treatment plans.
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Leppänen, M., Viiala, J., Kaikkonen, P., Tokola, K., Vasankari, T., Nigg, B. M., Krosshaug, T., Werthner, P., Parkkari, J., & Pasanen, K. (2024). Hip and core exercise programme prevents running-related overuse injuries in adult novice recreational runners: A three-arm randomised controlled trial (Run RCT). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 58(13).
