The RUN RCT Study

Fitness & Injury Prevention Training for Runners (FIT Runner) programs were developed and tested in the RUN RCT Study.

The RUN RCT Study was designed in the Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary in 2019. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of three injury prevention training programs in reducing the risk of running-related lower extremity injuries in adult novice recreational runners.

The RUN RCT Study was carried out at the UKK Institute, Tampere, Finland in 2020–2022.

Programs tested in this study targeted three different areas: (1) strength and neuromuscular control exercises for the hip and core muscles (FIT Runner Hip & Core); (2) strength and neuromuscular control exercises for the ankle and foot muscles (FIT Runner Ankle & Foot); and (3) stretching exercises for lower extremities and back (FIT Runner Stretching). The Hip & Core program was effective in prevention of lower extremity overuse injuries in novice recreational runners.