Struggling with Injuries? These Science-Backed Fixes Could Get You Running Pain-Free
Estimated read time: 3.42 minutes (about as long as it takes to convince yourself that $80 Uber Eats is justified after your long run 🐶).
Hey Performance Nerds! Jonah here. 🤓
What if I told you your favorite fast hilly route might be 450% harder on your tissues than you think?
Yep—your speed, terrain, and cadence might quietly be destroying your rehab. But the good news? Small tweaks can make a massive difference.
Here’s what we’re breaking down today:
✅ Why speed work can backfire on your Achilles and Knees 🚀
✅ How terrain changes (uphill vs. downhill) shift leg damage 🦵
✅ A simple cadence tweak that cuts tissue damage immediately 😳
📚 Based on: Van Hooren et al., 2024 (Scand J Med Sci Sports)
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Speed training is key for Marathon PRs—but it also increases tissue damage per step.
Running faster means:
More speed = More force per step ⬆️
Proven Damage Increase: Research shows cumulative stress rises significantly at higher speeds.
Worst hit? The Achilles tendon, knees, and shins.
Achilles beware: If Augie (my dog) had health insurance, 90% of his claims would say: “Chased squirrels too fast, too often—zero rest days.”
Faster running = more force per step. Even with fewer steps, the increased impact leads to MORE total damage!
How to Minimize Damage When Returning From Injury:
✔ Limit high-speed sessions—save them for key workouts.
✔ Balance intensity—mix slow and fast runs.
✔ If injured, reduce volume of speed workouts first—not necessarily mileage.
Uphill vs. Downhill: Which is Safer 🏔️
Ever noticed how your legs feel completely different after running uphill compared to downhill?
Here's why:
Think of it this way: When you shift stress away from one area, another part of your body picks up the slack. Smart terrain choices = better injury management!
What this means for you:
Knee pain? Stick to uphill, avoid downhill.
Achilles issues? Avoid hills entirely.
Shin problems? Stay on flat ground.
Balance your terrain to avoid overloading one tissue.
Cadence: The Secret Fix? 🎵
Want a scientifically-backed way to reduce leg damage when you’re injured? Increase your cadence.
Why it Works:
✔ More steps per minute = lower impact per step ⬇️
Each step is gentler despite taking more steps—protecting your tissues from excessive damage.
The result? Less overall damage to every tissue
Here's the breakdown of a 10% increase in cadence:
If Achilles pain is the villain, cadence is the superhero. 🦸♂️ A small tweak could be your biggest weapon!
Cadence Fix Plan: (ONLY adjust if injured & working with a coach/PT)
Find your baseline: Count steps for 60 seconds at your normal running pace
Target: Aim to increase by no more +10 steps per minute:
Gradually increasing your cadence is smart training. Going 0-to-100 in cadence changes is like trying mystery gel at mile 23—you're playing with fire! 🏃♀️⚠️
Implementation:
Use a metronome app at your target BPM (example: Metronome Beats app)
Create a playlist with songs matching your target cadence (visit runningbpm.com)
Many Garmin/COROS watches have real-time cadence feedback
Only change cadence if needed—don’t fix what isn’t broken.
Practical Summary: What Should YOU Do?
If you have knee pain:
✔ Slightly slow your paces
✔ More uphill, less downhill
✔ Increase cadence by 5-10%
If you have Achilles issues:
✔ Prioritize slower paces (biggest impact!)
✔ Avoid uphill running completely
✔ Increase cadence (huge benefit!)
If you have shin issues:
✔ Stick to flat surfaces
✔ Moderately reduce speed
✔ Slightly increase cadence
🔥 The Big Win: Keep Running While You Heal
Reducing injury risk doesn’t mean cutting all training. Instead, adjust:
✅ Speed (reduce force per step)
✅ Terrain (shift stress between tissues)
✅ Cadence (spread impact evenly)
🚨 Are Your Easy Runs Making You Slower?
Did you miss my post about why Your Easy Runs Might Be Making You Slower? You can find it below!
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Are You a True Running Nerd? Prove it.. 🧐
Welcome to the prove you’re a nerd section. Each week, I ask a question about a common running science myth.
Answer correctly, and you’ll be entered into a weekly raffle to win a package of Jonah’s favorite supplements.
Why is it not a great idea to lift heavy right before your hard runs? 🏋️♂️➡️🏃♂️
- A. It rapidly burns through all your fat stores, leaving you without energy 🥑🔥
- B. It increases neuromuscular fatigue, which can reduce running power during your key session ⚡😴 ✅
- C. It disrupts your body's ability to efficiently use carbs for energy, making hard efforts feel tougher 🍞🔋
- D. It tightens your muscles, limiting stride length and efficiency 🦵⛓
Last Week’s Results: The Real MVP of Running Power! 🏃♂️💥
Wow, performance nerds, you had some strong opinions on this one! 🧠🔥 The winner? Your calves! 🦶✅
Here’s how you all voted:
🟩 Calf muscles (Soleus & Gastrocnemius) 🦶 – 100 votes (48%) ✅
🟨 Gluteus Maximus 🍑 – 76 votes (37%)
🟨 Quadriceps 🦵 – 23 votes (11%)
⬜ Hamstrings 🔗 – 8 votes (4%)
Takeaway: Your calves are doing serious work—strengthen them to run stronger and stay injury-free! 💪🔥
Nerdy Finds of the Week 📚🧑🔬
This section includes my favorite research, podcasts or books about running/lifting science.
2. 💡 Key Insight:
Physiological resilience—the ability to resist declines in VO₂max, running economy, and metabolic thresholds during prolonged exercise—is an independent, trainable factor that can enhance marathon performance.
3. Key Research Points
📊 Enhanced Prediction: Incorporating resilience into the traditional model improves marathon time predictions by accounting for fatigue-induced declines.
⏱ Individual Variability: Athletes show notable differences in how quickly key physiological metrics deteriorate during long-duration exercise.
🏃 Training Consistency: Long-term, high-volume endurance training (spanning years) appears crucial for developing resilience.
🏋️♂️ Resistance Benefits: Heavy strength and plyometric training may help maintain running economy and delay performance drop-off under fatigue.
🔄 Modulating Factors: Biomechanical aspects (e.g., muscle fiber type) and metabolic adaptations—including potential sex differences—can influence resilience outcomes.
4. Practical Applications
🏃♂️ Race-Pace Practice: Integrate long runs with intervals of high-intensity or progressive race-pace efforts to simulate and train for fatigue.
🏋️ Strength Integration: Add 2 weekly resistance or plyometric sessions to help maintain economy during long runners
📱 Personalized Tracking: Use wearable tech to monitor fatigue and performance declines, tailoring training programs to individual resilience profiles.
5. Limitations or Caveats
⚠️ Evidence Gaps: Standardized, off-the-shelf tests for resilience are not yet established; most strategies are based on short-term or observational data.
🤔 Need for Further Research: More rigorous, long-term studies (especially on elite athletes and sex differences) are required to validate and optimize these training methods.
Don’t forget: You + Science = AWESOMENESS 😎
Yours in science,
Jonah
P.S. - We have a crew of 15,270+ nerds here who are running FAST using science.
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