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Running Mechanics and Injury Prevention Strategies

via Coursera

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Details

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Provider

Coursera
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Effort

4 hours 15 minutes
Sessions

Self-Paced
Level

Intermediate
Subtitles

English

Found in

Part of

Niel Asher Education Advanced Personal Trainer

Overview

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Running is simple to start, but small issues in stride, strength, recovery, footwear, or training load can build into pain, fatigue, and recurring injuries. By the end of this course, learners will understand how running mechanics influence performance and injury risk, and how strength, nutrition, recovery, and equipment choices can support healthier, more efficient running. Created by performance coach and dietitian Stephanie Hnatiuk, this course brings together gait analysis, strength and conditioning, footwear considerations, fueling principles, and load management into one practical injury-prevention framework. Through clear instruction and applied examples, learners explore how to identify common movement faults, improve stride efficiency, build supportive strength, manage recovery, and make more informed decisions about training and nutrition. Fitness, sports, rehabilitation, and wellness professionals will gain useful tools for supporting runners, while general learners and recreational runners will better understand how to train smarter, reduce injury risk, and improve endurance. This course offers a well-rounded approach to running health, performance, and long-term consistency.

Syllabus

Injury Free Running

Running is one of the most natural and accessible forms of exercise, yet it’s also one of the most common sources of overuse injury. In this comprehensive course, Stephanie Hnatiuk, Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer, and Performance Running Coach, combines science, coaching experience, and clinical insight to help you understand how to keep runners healthy, efficient, and injury free. Designed for massage therapists, athletic therapists, personal trainers, physiotherapists, and other movement professionals, this course explores the key elements of running mechanics, training load, and nutrition that determine a runner’s risk of injury. Stephanie explains the biomechanics of running step by step—breaking down the walking and running gait cycles, describing how stride length, cadence, and ground contact affect impact forces, and showing how subtle differences in form can dramatically influence injury potential. Throughout the course, you’ll learn to assess and analyze a runner’s gait from multiple camera angles, recognize faulty movement patterns, and understand how anatomical variations such as hip anteversion or tibial torsion contribute to compensations and inefficiencies. Stephanie also emphasizes the vital role of strength, mobility, and balance in supporting proper running form, as well as how inadequate recovery, poor nutrition, and overtraining increase the likelihood of injury. In addition to biomechanics, the course explores the essential connection between nutrition and performance, covering energy availability, micronutrient status, and fueling strategies for endurance athletes. By understanding the interplay between training, diet, and recovery, therapists and trainers can better support their clients’ performance and long-term musculoskeletal health. By the end of the course, you’ll have the knowledge and practical tools to identify key risk factors, design corrective strategies, and apply a holistic, evidence-informed approach to helping your clients run efficiently and stay injury free.

Understanding Running Injuries
Training and Exercises

This module explores strength, mobility, and technique drills that support efficient, injury-resistant running. Learners will examine how training load, progression, and recovery influence tendon health, muscle performance, and overall running mechanics. Practical demonstrations focus on exercises that improve stability, force absorption, and stride control—helping runners transition from reactive injury management to proactive resilience.

Course Reflection and Practice Assignments

This module gives learners the opportunity to apply course concepts through brief, scenario-based tasks. These activities reinforce real-world decision making, communication skills, and professional confidence when working with clients.

Final Reflective Exam

This final exam is designed to assess your understanding of the key concepts presented throughout the course. Please review all video lessons and written materials before beginning. A passing score of 70% or higher is required to successfully complete the course and earn your CE certificate. You may reference your notes during the exam. Once you pass, your certificate will be available for immediate download.