An injury is one way to take the fun out of running and hold you back from the track or trail. We’d all like to avoid injury if we can, and we try different prevention methods, from wearing the right running shoes and choosing certain terrains to staying hydrated and improving our sleep. Interesting research on distance runners found that eating healthy fats and fiber could lower your risk of running injuries. If you’re not consuming sufficient nutrition and calories, researchers have noted that your body can’t efficiently repair muscle tissue and could take nutrients from bones instead.
Of course, there’s always going to be a risk of injury when we lace up our shoes and set off on foot. So, how risky is running, and how long does it take to heal? Here’s the recent data.
What percentage of runners have experienced an injury?
Sports Shoes released their 2025 running report that reveals:
- 70% of runners have experienced an injury.
These statistics are in partnership with Censuswide, which surveyed 3,000 adults (aged 16+). Experienced athlete and Senior Marketing Executive at SportsShoes, Ben Mounsey, shares that “fitness trends can be a double-edged sword. While on one hand it’s fantastic to see people encouraged to try new sports or workouts, for those diving into trends sporadically and increasing their training load too quickly, there’s a real risk of becoming injured.” Overtraining is one of the biggest factors that drives up the risk of injury.
Ben Mounsey maintains that “you must allow time for your body to adapt to increased levels of physical activity. Always remember to prioritise rest, as well as incorporating different methods of training into your running journey to build up strength and prevent injuries.”
What percentage of runners are running too soon after an injury?
The data shows that:
- 21% on average (about one in five) admit they continue running even while injured, risking long-term damage.
How long do running injuries take to heal?
Recovery times range from 4–9 weeks, with Morton’s neuroma and stress fractures among the longest to heal. According to the SportsShoes Running Report, here are the most common injuries, ranked by average recovery time:
| Running Injury | Average Time to Heal |
| Morton’s neuroma | 9.1 weeks |
| Broken bones (legs and feet) | 9 weeks |
| Achilles tendinopathy | 8.9 weeks |
| Broken bones (other) | 8.6 weeks |
| Stress fractures | 8.2 weeks |
| Plantar fasciitis | 7.4 weeks |
| Pulled groin | 7.3 weeks |
| Lower back pain | 5.9 weeks |
| Toenail damage | 5.9 weeks |
| Runner’s knee | 5.8 weeks |
| Hip flexor pain | 5.3 weeks |
| Black toenails | 5 weeks |
| IT band syndrome | 4.6 weeks |
| Shin splints | 4.8 weeks |
| Ankle sprain | 4.8 weeks |
