These running injury stats should change how you train
Most running injuries are common but preventable problems, and a few simple habits can keep you on the road
Regardless of the challenges it throws at us, it’s pretty safe to say we’re not quitting running anytime soon. But a 2025 running statistics report recently released by SportsShoes makes it clear that if you run long enough, you’re bound to cross paths with some bumps. Over two-thirds of runners (70 per cent) reported they’ve had a running injury, with 73 per cent of men and 66 per cent of women saying the same. Based on a survey of 3,000 UK adults, the stats point to the most common ways runners get sidelined, and what you can do to avoid being one of them this year.
What’s most likely to get you (not always big or drastic)
The report’s most frequently reported issues aren’t rare, complicated conditions. The study included the everyday troublemakers that most of us are familiar with, like blisters (14 per cent), plus things like dehydration (12 per cent) and side stitches (11 per cent), alongside more drastic injuries like lower back pain (13 per cent) and ankle sprains (12 per cent). The smaller problems are often the ones that runners think they can ignore and push through.
How long do injuries keep runners out?
The report tracked time off running and showed that once an injury is serious enough to force rest, it can take weeks. At the longer end, runners reported being away from running for roughly eight to nine weeks on average for issues like Morton’s neuroma (9.05 weeks), Achilles tendinopathy (8.92 weeks) and stress fractures (8.22 weeks).
Ignore that “keep going anyway” reflex
Many runners don’t stop when something’s off, and sometimes that’s not a critical issue. The report found 52 per cent kept running with side stitches, 42 per cent kept running while dehydrated and 30 per cent pushed through blisters. But dehydration isn’t something to “tough out”: it’s a safety issue, and it can turn an ordinary run into a bad decision fast. Side stitches and blisters usually won’t sideline you for weeks, but they’re still worth dealing with right away—slow down, hydrate, adjust and take a break if you need it—so a minor problem doesn’t snowball into a bigger one.
Prevention is key
Replace shoes before they’re completely cooked. Only 17 per cent of runners replace shoes at least once a year, and 83 per cent don’t follow the report’s “every year or 500–700 km” guideline. If you don’t track distance, pick a date (birthday, spring, the first snow, whatever) and make it the shoe check-in.
Know what you’re running in
The report also says 93 per cent of runners haven’t had a gait analysis, 90 per cent don’t know their pronation type, and 79 per cent don’t have the right shoes for their running style. You don’t need to go over-the-top, but even getting a basic fitting can stop you from making detrimentally inaccurate guesswork.
Why “rebounding” might be your new favourite cross-training activity
Do one thing that isn’t running
Nearly half of runners add walking or hiking (47 per cent), but only 25 per cent do strength training and 20 per cent do mobility/stretching. If you want to get started, try two short strength sessions a week (hips, calves, feet, core) and a few minutes of mobility after easy runs.
If you run at night, make yourself obvious
Nearly a third of runners (29 per cent) run in the evening, but only 31 per cent wear a headlamp and only 39 per cent carry a light of some kind. Turn on your headlamp early and wear reflective clothing. It’s one of the easiest and most impactful “injury prevention” moves there is.
