There are a lot of different reasons why people engage in running as part of their exercise routine.  For some, it’s a great way to build or maintain fitness, others might be looking at it as a way to lose extra pounds and keep active without having to lift heavy weights. 

Good news is, whatever the reason for their participation might be, running has been shown to significantly improve people’s general health in many different areas. On top of the changes to one’s physique and body shape, running has been linked to reductions in blood glucose levels, improvements in cholesterol metabolism, as well as enhancement of cardiovascular disease management in individuals who participate in running on a regular basis. 

It is now well established by literature that females and males differ not only in their anatomy, physiology and body composition, but also their running biomechanics. Interestingly, certain aspects of the female body seem to be affected by running in a specific way, which has both beneficial and detrimental impact on their overall health and wellbeing. 

Most importantly for women, running has been shown to promote production of potent oestrogen, a hormone that has been associated with preventing the development of uterine, breast and colon cancer. Furthermore, running has also been found to have a positive effect on bone density, which is crucial for delaying osteoporosis (known as ‘female disease’) and protection from sustaining fractures.

Unfortunately, running has also been linked with increased rates of injuries in both males and females. Research shows, however, that running-related injuries occur primarily in females than males. This has been found to be due to certain gender specific biomechanical traits, as well as due to hormonal changes a female body is going through as a result of menstruation.

From a biomechanical perspective, females typically have a greater hip adduction and rotate more internally in the hip area whilst taking each step. Greater knee valgus (movement inwards), as well as an internal rotation of the knee, is quite common for females too. This has been previously associated with reduced glute and single leg strength, which in turn leads to poor engagement and activation of lower limb musculature. Interestingly, there is also strong evidence to suggest that running during certain phases of the menstrual cycle can further increase the likelihood of sustaining injuries! Depending on the phases in menstrual, females might exhibit significantly greater joint laxity and be 4-6 times more likely to sustain ACL injury than males.   

There is no question that running is a sport where the prevalence of injuries is incredibly high. Unfortunately, a vast number of those injuries occurs due to ‘wear and tear’ of the body over time. The good news is, however, that there are a few things female runners can consider to mitigate those risks:

a. Most importantly, every female runner should pay special attention to their weekly training load. Everybody is different, so it is hard to say exactly what mileage runners should stick to on a weekly basis. Top running coaches recommend avoiding sudden increases in running distance (<10% per week) and building up weekly distance gradually. Ideally following a structured training plan that allows the progression, but also builds in lighter weeks to allow the body to recover. Increased soreness, tightness, or pain often suggests that you are doing more than you should.

b. Women are generally weaker and more flexible than males and a lot of their injuries develop through compensation due to lack of strength. Therefore, ladies should engage in some form of strengthening exercise programme as part of cross training. Yoga, pilates or simple weight training can help them building lean muscle and minimise injury risks.

c. To avoid injuries, any runner should aim to understand their running form. Even though running is a relatively free movement, knowing how it moves – for e.g. which part of your foot strikes the ground first, how quickly you turn over your feet and whether there are any major imbalances between the two body sides, is key in identifying weaknesses in your technique and addressing them through tailored exercise programmes.

d. Appropriate footwear is essential for preventing running injuries. Due to unique foot function, lower leg mobility and preferred motion pathway that each runner adopts when running, shoes will perform differently on each runner. Finding what is right for you will protect your body from exhibiting abnormalities in movement pattern and ensuring an appropriate alignment of the foot and lower leg during each step.