Walthamstow sports therapist Loïc Lefevre has treated every kind of running injury – here’s his advice on how to avoid them
Every year, like clockwork, as the sunshine stretches, it brings a shift across London, and Waltham Forest.
The parks fill up, the marshes get busier, everyone seems to be running.
From Lloyd Park to the canal paths, it’s the same scene: fresh trainers, renewed motivation, and that feeling that now is the time to get fit again.
And it’s a great thing. Running is one of the simplest, most accessible ways to improve your health. But as a sports therapist, I can also tell when spring has arrived for another reason – it’s when the same running-related injuries start appearing.
The issue isn’t running itself. It’s how we run.
After a quieter winter, many people go from very little activity straight into running two or three times a week, sometimes pushing distance or pace too quickly. The motivation is there, but the body hasn’t had enough time to catch up.
Here’s the key point: your fitness improves faster than your tissues adapt. Muscles respond relatively quickly, but tendons and joints take longer to build tolerance.
When running load or volume increases too fast, that’s when problems can begin — often showing up as joint pains and muscle aches.
The good news is that most of these issues are avoidable with a bit of structure and patience.
If you’re getting back into running this spring, start slower than you think you need to. Any good running or fitness program will use a principle called “progressive loading”. In simpler terms, you have to slowly increase the demand on the body (i.e: effort / volume / intensity) so your body has time to catch up and adapt to the stresses created by running, and respond positively.
A mix of running and walking is not only acceptable but it’s often the smartest way to build up gradually. Two or three shorter runs per week are sometimes more effective than one long, demanding session.
Rest days aren’t a sign of weakness; they’re where progress happens. Light movement – walking, gentle stretching – can help your body adapt without overloading it.
It’s also worth paying attention to early warning signs. A bit of stiffness or tightness is normal when you’re starting out, but pain that lingers or worsens is your body asking for adjustment. Ignoring it rarely works in your favour.
One thing often overlooked is that running alone isn’t enough. Adding some basic strength exercises and mobility to your routine, can transform your running abilities, your enjoyment of it, and your ability to progress, and run longer, harder and faster.
It doesn’t need to be complicated, just consistent.
Running should feel like something that adds to your life, not something that breaks you down.
So as the lighter evenings return and the urge to lace your running shoes kicks in again, embrace it but just start small, build gradually, and you’ll give yourself the best chance of staying active not just for spring, but well beyond it.
Loïc is a sports therapist at Blue Door Clinic, Walthamstow
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