Let’s Keep Runners Running: Gait Retraining & Strength Training for Pain-Free Running
If you’re a runner, chances are you’ve dealt with an injury at some point. You rest, the pain improves, and as soon as you start building mileage again… it comes right back.
For many runners, the problem isn’t just how much they’re running — it’s how their body is handling the load.
Two of the most effective ways to break this cycle are gait retraining and strength training. When used together, they help offload stressed tissues, improve efficiency, and build a more resilient runner.
What Is Gait Retraining?
Gait retraining is about making small adjustments to how you run to reduce unnecessary stress on your body. It’s not about forcing everyone into a single “perfect” running form.
Instead, it focuses on identifying patterns that may overload certain tissues — like the knee, shin, Achilles, or hip — and making simple, intentional changes to redistribute forces.
Common gait retraining strategies include:
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Slightly increasing cadence (taking a few more steps per minute)
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Reducing excessive “bounce” while running
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Improving control of the hip and knee
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Using cues to land more quietly and smoothly
These changes are subtle and gradual. Most runners are surprised by how small the adjustments feel — and how big the impact can be.
Why Gait Retraining Helps
Research shows certain running patterns increase impact forces and joint stress. Over time, this repeated stress can contribute to injuries like:
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Runner’s knee (patellofemoral pain)
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Shin splints or stress reactions
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Achilles and calf pain
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Hip pain
Gait retraining has been shown to:
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Reduce impact forces through the legs
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Decrease stress at the knee and hip
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Improve pain and function in injured runners
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Lower the risk of recurring injuries
Even small changes — like increasing cadence by just 5–10% — can significantly reduce joint loading without slowing you down.
Why Strength Training Matters
While gait retraining changes how forces are applied, strength training changes how well your body can tolerate them.
Running is repetitive. Each step places load through your hips, knees, calves, and feet. If certain muscles lack strength or endurance, other tissues end up doing more work — and that’s often where pain shows up.
Strength training helps runners by:
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Improving muscle capacity and fatigue resistance
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Enhancing joint stability and control
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Targeting weak areas like glutes, calves, and feet
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Supporting better running mechanics over longer distances
Strength training alone isn’t a magic fix, but runners who are injured often show strength deficits. Building strength helps your body handle the demands of training more effectively.
Why They Work Best Together
These two approaches tackle different parts of the puzzle:
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Gait retraining reduces excessive stress on irritated tissues
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Strength training increases your body’s ability to absorb and manage stress
Together, they:
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Reduce strain on joints and tendons
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Improve force distribution with each step
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Make running form changes more sustainable
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Support long-term consistency in training
For example, increasing cadence can reduce knee pain — but without enough hip and calf strength, that change may not hold when fatigue sets in. Strength training helps lock in those improvements.
Putting It Into Practice
1. Start With an Assessment
Not every runner needs gait retraining, and not every change fits every injury. A proper assessment looks at your training history, strength, mobility, and running mechanics to determine what matters most for you.
2. Make Small, Targeted Changes
Gait retraining focuses on small adjustments, introduced gradually and reinforced during short portions of a run.
3. Build Strength Where It Counts
Strength programs for runners often focus on:
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Single-leg strength (lunges, step-downs, split squats)
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Hip and glute control
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Calf and foot strength
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Core stability
Progression is key — strength builds over time with consistent, appropriately loaded training.
4. Integrate Everything
The goal isn’t to think about your running form forever. Strength training supports better mechanics, and better mechanics allow strength gains to carry over into real-world running.
The Takeaway
Running injuries rarely have a single cause. They usually come from how stress is applied and how well your body can handle it over time.
Gait retraining reduces unnecessary stress. Strength training builds resilience. Together, they help you move better, feel stronger, and stay on the road longer.
Interested in a personalized gait analysis or running evaluation? Head to the Contact page to request an appointment and take the next step toward running stronger and pain-free.
Jess Core
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