The Most Overlooked Muscle Groups in Injury Prevention for Runners
Every March, we see an uptick in phone calls from runners. As winter fades in Vermont, people trade their skis for running shoes and hit the pavement (or trails) again. But often, the aches and pains they felt while running in the fall haven’t magically disappeared over the winter.
It’s no surprise that strength training is a major component of injury prevention and when it comes to tendons, rest isn’t best—they don’t get better with time. We’ve written about the importance of strength training for endurance athletes before, and it’s something we not only discuss with our clients but also integrate into their routines to build strong, resilient tissues that can handle the high volume and repetitive nature of running.
Today, we’re diving into the overlooked muscle groups that often get irritated and injured—the ones responsible for many of those March phone calls.
Let’s dig in!
The Posterior Tibialis: Your Secret Weapon for Stronger Strides
Courtesy of TeachMeAnatomy.com
What is it?
This deep muscle runs along the inside of your lower leg and plays a key role in supporting the arch and controlling foot pronation. Excessive pronation—when the foot rolls inward too much.
Why it matters:
Weakness or dysfunction in the posterior tibialis can contribute to shin splints, plantar fasciitis, Achilles issues, medial knee pain—the list goes on!
Signs it might be weak:
Arch pain
Excessive pronation (foot caving in when weight-bearing)
Difficulty maintaining form on long runs
In our clinic, we frequently see posterior tibialis tendon irritation, often due to muscle overload or inadequate strength to support a runner’s mileage. The good news? You can strengthen this often-overlooked muscle to improve resilience and performance.
Try This: Lacrosse Ball Heel Raises
Pinching a lacrosse ball between your heels while performing heel raises helps activate the posterior tibialis more effectively.
How to do it: Perform 2 sets of 15-25 reps, 2-3 days per week. If you’re dealing with pain or weakness, we tailor rep schemes based on individual mileage, recovery, and symptoms.
Other Unsung Muscle Heroes in Running Injury Prevention
Glute Medius – Crucial for hip stability and preventing knee valgus (your knee caving inward).
Intrinsic Foot Muscles – There are 22 of them! Strengthening them improves toe-off and keeps your foundation strong.
Serratus Anterior – A shoulder blade stabilizer tied to breathing and posture. More efficiency here = better running form.
Simple Exercises to Strengthen These Areas
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts (Glute Medius)
Towel Scrunches (Intrinsic Foot Muscles)
Serratus Wall Slides (Serratus Anterior)
Conclusion
Strengthening these often-overlooked muscles can improve performance, reduce injury risk, and keep you running stronger for longer.
If you love to run and are interested in a body evaluation, run assessment, and personalized program, our Runner’s Mini 3 Pack is designed to get you ready for the season!