Back In The Running

01/09/2026

"I think I've done something serious."

Almost certainly not.

Pain is very rarely a measure of damage. It's a signal — a sensitive area, or your body's way of asking you to slow down and get some help. Loud doesn't mean serious.

We've known for years that if you scan people with no pain at all, plenty of them show the sort of findings runners get told to worry about. And plenty of people in real pain scan clean.

So what do you do with that? Two things.

Take 24–48 hours off and see how it settles. Most things do.

And stop searching. The internet is very good at turning a sore Achilles into a catastrophe by Thursday.

If it's still there after a couple of days, that's the point to get it looked at — not because something's broken, but because there's usually a reason worth finding.

Run happy and injury free.

More on this: https://backintherunning.co.uk/2026/08/12/does-pain-mean-you-have-damaged-something/

25/08/2026

"You'll ruin your knees."

Someone has said this to you. Probably someone who doesn't run.

No is the simple answer. When researchers pooled twenty-five studies covering more than 125,000 people, they found less hip and knee arthritis among recreational runners than among people who don't run at all — 3.5% against 10.2%.

Cartilage isn't a tyre tread. It's living tissue, and like the rest of you it responds to being loaded sensibly by getting more robust, not less.

The honest caveat: that's an association, not proof, and very high competitive mileage over decades looks different again. But for club and recreational runners, the fear is doing more harm than the running.

If your knee hurts right now, that's worth looking at properly — a sore knee is a sore knee, not a verdict on your future.

Run happy and injury free.

The numbers and the caveats: https://backintherunning.co.uk/2026/08/12/will-running-wreck-your-knees/

18/08/2026

Are your shoes causing your injury?

Almost certainly not.

It's the first thing most runners blame, and it's very rarely the culprit. There's little evidence that shoes cause running injuries — and the studies that tried matching shoes to foot type didn't find fewer injuries either.

For the vast majority of runners, a basic pair that fits your feet and feels comfortable will do the job.

So what is going on? Usually it's load. Too much, too soon, without enough recovery in between.

Before you spend £180: look at your last four weeks. Did your mileage jump? Did the rest days quietly disappear? That's where the answer normally is.

Still sore after 24–48 hours off? That's the point to get it looked at.

Run happy and injury free.

Full version here: https://backintherunning.co.uk/2026/08/12/are-your-running-shoes-causing-your-injury/

21/02/2025

What mechanical factors are associated with Plantar Heel Pain (PHP)?

I’d love to have a clear answer here but it appears the evidence is quite mixed! It seems that association is likely with reduced ankle dorsiflexion and decreased toe flexor strength and PHP has been connected with high BMI in non-athletic groups.

Sullivan et al. (2020) note that the association between heel pain and foot alignment is unclear plus there is limited evidence to suggest heel pain is associated with running mileage or weight-bearing at work.

Each of these factors may influence the load on the plantar fascia so there is value in assessing each on an individual basis.

Both athletic and sedentary people can encounter PHP which may be why research findings can vary as different populations may have different causative factors and treatment needs. The key thing is to recognise this and tailor treatment to the person rather than the condition.

Reference:
Sullivan J, Pappas E, Burns J. Role of mechanical factors in the clinical presentation of plantar heel pain: Implications for management. Foot (Edinb). 2020 Mar;42:101636. doi: 10.1016/j.foot.2019.08.007. Epub 2019 Sep 3. PMID: 31731071.

15/05/2024

12/02/2024

RIP https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-68270866