If you’re a runner, you probably run to stay healthy, get some exercise or because you simply enjoy it. It’s a wonderful activity that can be beneficial for our physical and mental health, but because it is a stressful and high-impact activity, it can also increase your risk of injury. Finding ways to reduce your foot and ankle injury risk is key if you’re a recreational or competitive runner, and new research suggests that improving your foot strength can help reduce your risk of running-related injuries.
Preventing Running Injuries
To get a better understanding of the role foot and ankle strength played in injury prevention while running, researchers split 118 recreational runners into one of two groups. One group received eight weeks of training in foot and ankle strengthening followed by remote supervision for the remainder of one year. The other group acted as the control group and continued to train as normal, but they were also regularly assessed for foot and ankle strength.
Groups were asked to submit weekly reports on distance, pace and any injuries they developed over the course of a year. While not surprising, the results at the end of a year were certainly noteworthy. Runners in the foot-strengthening program not only showed improvements in foot strength and foot posture, but they also experienced injuries at a much lower rate. Runners in the control group were 2.42 times more likely to get injured than runners in the strength training group. In the end, foot strengthening reduced overall injury risk by 41 percent.
Now, the study doesn’t detail the exact foot strengthening program that was used to help the group of runners, but it speaks to the larger idea that you’ll want to work to develop foot and ankle strength with other types of exercises besides just running. Running can help make your feet stronger, but it’s a very repetitive and stressful action, so less taxing movements can be more ideal for developing muscles that play a crucial role when running. Resistance band exercises, movements that focus on building range of motion and proprioception-focused exercises can all help improve foot and ankle strength so that these areas are better equipped to handle the physical demand of running.
Don’t let an injury derail your running routine or keep you sidelined for longer than you’d like. Instead, add some foot and ankle strengthening exercises to your weekly workout routine, or connect with a foot specialist who can work to improve your strength and form to reduce your risk of an injury. For more information about starting or building an effective running routine, click around on our site or connect with Dr. Silverman!