Masterclass: Running-related injuries - bringing evidence together for clinical decision-making

Running is one of the most accessible and widely practised forms of physical activity promoting multiple health benefits. However, running-related injuries (RRI) are common. In novice runners, the incidence is estimated as 17.8 (95% CI 16.7 to 19.1) injuries per 1000 running hours. In contrast, in recreational runners it is approximately 7.7 (95% CI 6.9 to 8.7) injuries per 1000 running hours. RRIs have significant individual, physical, social, and economic consequences, including moderate pain, withdrawal from running training, increased use of medical resources (e.g., healthcare consultations), productivity loss (e.g., absenteeism from work), costs, and dropout from running practice altogether. Misconceptions and misinterpretations regarding RRI epidemiology, risk factors, prognosis, management and prevention may arise and be propagated within the running community. Together, these misconceptions contribute to misinformation for runners and clinicians, potentially hindering evidence-based decision making. This masterclass aims to provide a clinically relevant, evidence-based overview of topics related to RRIs (including epidemiology, risk factors, prognosis, prevention and management), while critically addressing common assumptions in clinical decision-making and highlighting priorities for future research.