Research shows that 85% of recreational runners will experience a running-related injury at some point.
That’s not surprising if you’ve been running for any number of years.
But, what may surprise you is that recent literature has shown that the types of injuries and the injury patterns we experience as runners over 40 are completely different from younger athletes.
While that may not sound like good news, it’s actually helpful data we can use to help keep ourselves healthy as we continue to train into our 50s, 60s and 70s.
That’s because these patterns can be prevented and managed when you understand the unique physiological changes happening in your body after 40.
And more importantly, these patterns and changes all of these have specific, research-backed solutions.
So, in this article we’re going to dig deep into the science on…
- The unique physiological changes that make masters runners vulnerable to specific injury patterns, and why understanding these changes is the key to prevention
- How declining hormones in both men and women directly impact injury risk and what you can do to minimize these effects
- The sleep-recovery-injury connection that could be costing you months of training time (plus the exact protocol to optimize it)
- The evidence-based strength training system that research shows reduces injury risk by 66%, designed specifically for time-constrained masters runners
- A clear decision tree for knowing when to manage injuries yourself versus seeking professional help, potentially saving you weeks of unnecessary downtime
What the Science Says About Where and Why You’re More Likely to Get Injured as You Get Older
The transition into masters running isn’t just about slower times and longer recovery periods.
Research demonstrates that 69% of masters athletes attempt to push through pain to maintain their active lifestyle, a statistic that reflects both the mental toughness of this population and their increased vulnerability to chronic issues.
But, we don’t want to be pushing through pain (despite how tough we are).
Instead, we want to understand the root cause of these injuries and attack them before they happen.
Let’s look at some of the main culprits…
The Injury Pattern Shift As We Get Older
Masters runners don’t just get injured differently, they get entirely different types of injuries.
A comprehensive study by McKean et al. found that masters runners were significantly more inclined to suffer from soft-tissue injuries in their calf, Achilles, and hamstrings compared to younger runners.
The most common injury? Achilles tendinopathy, followed closely by patellar tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis.
This shift occurs for two primary reasons…
Aging affects the fundamental properties of your connective tissue.
As we age, our bodies experience loss of elastin in muscles and connective tissues, fewer blood capillaries, reduced mitochondrial density, and slower nerve function.
The most critical change involves collagen, the protein that gives these tissues their strength and elasticity.
Aging collagen becomes increasingly cross-linked by glucose molecules (called AGEs), making tendons and ligaments stiff and brittle rather than elastic and resilient (imagine a rubber band that’s been left in the sun for years).
This creates a dangerous paradox for runners: some tendon stiffness improves running economy by storing and returning energy like a spring, but age-related stiffness comes with fragility and reduced capacity to handle impact forces.
The problem compounds because these tissues also have less water content and blood supply diminishes, particularly in vulnerable areas like the Achilles tendon.
Our primary power muscles get weaker
The main drivers of our running stride are our glutes and hamstrings. These muscle groups are the primary power generators that help us run faster.
But, as our total strength declines with age, these muscles can’t provide all the power needed to keep you running at the same speed like they used to.
So, smaller muscles (like the calf) jump in to help contribute power.
Unfortunately, these smaller muscles likely haven’t adapted to working so hard and thus it’s easier to overload them.
Moreover, aging selectively weakens the “fast twitch” muscle fibers that are tailored to handle high-power contractions and rapid loading.
The Strength Decline (and how to prevent it)
One of the most encouraging findings in injury prevention research is the overwhelming evidence for strength training’s protective effects.
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine analyzed six studies with 7,738 participants and found that strength training reduced injury risk by a remarkable 66% (relative risk 0.338) [36].
Even more compelling: every 10% increase in strength training volume reduced injury risk by more than four percentage points.
Why Masters Runners Need Strength Training Even More
The research shows strength training becomes increasingly critical as we age. Here’s a look at why…
Muscle Loss Accelerates
After 40, we lose 3-8% of muscle mass per decade, accelerating after 60 (one of the reasons I wrote this in-depth guide on creatine a while back).
This sarcopenia directly impacts running economy, power, and injury resilience.
Unlike younger runners who can sometimes get away with running-only training, masters runners face a “use it or lose it” reality with their muscle mass.
Connective Tissue Becomes Less Elastic
Tendons and ligaments lose elasticity with age, becoming more injury-prone.
Strength training helps maintain tendon stiffness (which is actually good for running economy) while building supportive muscle to reduce strain on these structures.
Strength training focusing on large muscle groups with appropriately heavy loads has been proven to improve growth hormone levels and positively affect insulin sensitivity, both declining factors in masters athletes.
The stronger you are, the more resistant to injury you become.
This is particularly relevant for masters runners because strength training is the most effective method to slow age-related decline in fast-twitch (Type II) muscle fibers.
The Evidence-Based Masters Strength Protocol
Based on the research and practical application with time-constrained adults, here’s your complete strength training framework:
Frequency: 2-3 sessions per week. Research shows this frequency provides optimal injury prevention benefits without interfering with running training.
Focus Areas Based on Masters Injury Patterns:
Calf Complex Strengthening: Both gastrocnemius and soleus muscles require targeted work. Research on Achilles tendinopathy, the most common masters running injury, consistently shows that eccentric strengthening protocols are the gold standard for both prevention and treatment.
Hip Stability and Gluteal Activation: Studies demonstrate that runners with stronger hip abductors and external rotators show significantly lower injury rates, particularly for knee-related issues.
Core and Postural Support: Upper body and core strength become increasingly important for maintaining running form as fatigue sets in during longer efforts.
Here’s a great quick routine you can do that addresses all of these issues:
The Sleep-Recovery-Injury Connection
Here’s what might be the most actionable finding from recent sports medicine research: your sleep quality is one of your most powerful injury prevention tools.
A groundbreaking study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport tracked 95 endurance athletes over 52 weeks and found that athletes sleeping less than 7 hours showed significantly higher injury rates.
More specifically, research consistently shows that when sleep deprivation is sustained for periods of at least 14 days, injury risk increases by 1.7 times.
Why Sleep Matters More for Masters Runners
The relationship between sleep and injury prevention becomes even more critical as we age.
Sleep affects muscle protein synthesis, immune system function, and your body’s inflammatory response modulation, all processes that become less efficient with age.
In fact, research shows about 70% of daily growth hormone secretion occurs during deep sleep.
This is important because less growth hormone means…
- Impaired muscle repair and recovery
- Reduced protein synthesis overnight
- Slower tissue healing
- More difficulty maintaining muscle mass.
The issue is that deep sleep both declines significantly and becomes harder to achieve as we age.
Here’s a look at some of the data…
Young adults (20s): Deep sleep comprises 15-25% of total sleep time
Middle age (40s-50s): Drops to roughly 10-15% of sleep time
Older adults (50s+): Often only 5-10% or less; some older adults get virtually no measurable deep sleep
This isn’t just a percentage problem—even if total sleep time remains constant, you’re getting far less deep sleep in absolute minutes
How to get deeper sleep
I documented in-depth methods to help you improve your sleep in this article, but many of these recommendations were focused on falling asleep faster and easier.
Unfortunately, as mentioned above, total sleep time isn’t the main issue with sleep as we age. The challenge is increasing our deep sleep time.
That’s why we partnered with MAS Sleep, which is a non-melatonin sleep supplement specifically formulated to target deep sleep and improved recovery through sleep.
Unlike a lot of sleep aids, it’s not designed to knock you out, but rather help you achieve that deep sleep state more consistently and for longer.
If you notice you’re feeling like you’re less and less recovered each morning or more tired even after getting solid sleep, I definitely recommend checking them out.
The Hormonal Changes Affecting Your Injury Risk
For female masters runners, the hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause create a perfect storm for injury development.
A landmark study published in Frontiers in Physiology [14] found that estrogen directly affects musculoskeletal function beyond bone health.
While estrogen improves muscle mass and increases collagen content in connective tissues, it paradoxically decreases stiffness in tendons and ligaments directly impacting performance and injury rates.
This research reveals why many female masters runners notice increased vulnerability to soft-tissue injuries during hormonal transitions.
Declines in estrogen and testosterone decrease your ability to build and maintain muscle mass, with your percentage of fast-twitch fibers, critical for that finishing kick, also declining significantly.
Male masters runners face their own hormonal challenges through a condition researchers term Exercise-Induced Hypogonadal Male Condition (EHMC).
Studies show that 15-25% of men engaged in chronic endurance training develop alterations in their reproductive hormonal profile, primarily characterized by low resting testosterone levels that, while often technically “normal,” sit at the very bottom of the reference range.
Research published in PMC demonstrates that these hormonal changes can result in diminished bone mineral content, compromised spermatogenesis, and critically extended recovery times from training stress [21].
Movement Quality: The Missing Link in Injury Prevention
Most masters runners focus on building strength but overlook the critical distinction between mobility and flexibility.
Mobility, the ability to move through a full range of motion with control, encompasses both strength and flexibility. Contrary to popular belief, excessive flexibility can actually increase injury risk by reducing joint stability.
The Research-Backed Mobility Protocol
The key is developing functional range of motion specific to running demands rather than maximum flexibility.
Your daily mobility routine should address the most common restriction patterns in masters runners:
Hip Flexor Mobility: Years of desk work and age-related changes create restrictions that affect stride efficiency and increase compensatory stress on the lower back and knees.
Thoracic Spine Rotation: Critical for arm swing efficiency and core stability during running.
Ankle Dorsiflexion: Often restricted in masters runners, leading to compensatory patterns that increase Achilles and plantar fascia stress.
Research on trail runners, who face similar movement variability challenges, shows that complete kinetic chain programs combining dynamic flexibility, neuromotor strength, and balance exercises significantly reduce injury rates [41].
The Bottom Line for Masters Runner Success
The research provides clear guidance:
Masters runners who implement comprehensive, evidence-based prevention protocols can continue running successfully for decades.
The key lies not in training less, but in training smarter, incorporating targeted strength work, and optimizing sleep and recovery.
Most importantly, remember that every day you remain injury-free is a day you can continue pursuing the sport you love while reaping its tremendous physical and mental health benefits.
The science is on your side, now it’s time to put it into action.
