Why Every Runner Should Understand How They Move

3 Aug

Written By Deirdre O'Mahony

How evidence-informed Pilates can help you run more efficiently, reduce unnecessary strain and keep doing the things you love

By Dee O'Mahony MSc
Founder, Movement Reset Studio, Bristol

Every runner has asked the same question.

"Why does this keep happening?"

Perhaps it's an ankle that repeatedly rolls.

An Achilles tendon that settles for a few weeks before becoming painful again.

A sore knee that only appears after ten kilometres.

Or a niggle that seems to disappear with rest, only to return as your training increases.

Most runners respond in sensible ways.

They stretch.

Strengthen the painful area.

Buy new shoes.

Reduce their mileage.

Sometimes those strategies work.

Sometimes they don't.

Because the painful area isn't always where the story begins.

Running isn't simply about strong legs.

It's one of the most sophisticated movement skills your body performs.

Every running stride lasts only a fraction of a second.

Yet during that brief moment your body absorbs forces estimated at approximately two to four times your body weight.

Your foot contacts the ground.

Your ankle absorbs load.

Your knee controls movement.

Your hip stabilises your pelvis.

Your trunk transfers force.

Your arms balance the entire system.

This beautifully coordinated sequence repeats thousands of times during every run.

When each part contributes efficiently, running often feels smooth, economical and almost effortless.

When one part contributes less efficiently, another part frequently compensates.

Initially, your body adapts remarkably well.

Over weeks, months and thousands of running strides, however, repeated compensation may contribute to overload injuries such as Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, patellofemoral pain, iliotibial band syndrome and recurrent ankle sprains.

Contemporary biomechanics increasingly emphasises understanding running as a whole-body movement rather than a collection of independent joints.

For me, this changes how we should think about injury.

Why strengthening the ankle isn't always enough

Some of the runners I've worked with have come to me because of ankle pain.

They're often surprised that our assessment rarely begins with the ankle itself.

Instead, we begin by understanding how they move.

That doesn't mean the ankle isn't important.

Quite the opposite.

It means I'm interested in understanding why the ankle has become overloaded.

Research suggests that movement elsewhere in the body—particularly around the trunk, pelvis and hips—may influence how forces are distributed through the lower limb during running.

Reduced lumbopelvic control has been associated with altered lower-limb mechanics, including increased pelvic drop and greater inward movement of the knee (dynamic knee valgus) in some runners.

This doesn't mean every ankle injury starts at the pelvis.

Human movement is far more complex than that.

However, it does suggest that assessing movement throughout the kinetic chain may help identify factors contributing to excessive loading further down the leg.

For me, this is one of the reasons Pilates can complement running so well.

Pilates doesn't just strengthen muscles—it teaches movement.

This is perhaps the biggest misconception about Pilates.

People often think of Pilates as another form of core strengthening.

Strength is certainly part of it.

But I believe its greatest contribution lies somewhere else.

For me, Pilates is less about teaching exercises than teaching movement.

Running happens quickly.

Pilates deliberately slows movement down.

By reducing speed and external load, your nervous system has time to notice movement patterns that would otherwise happen automatically.

You become aware of how you breathe.

How your ribs move.

How your pelvis controls your hips.

How your trunk supports your legs.

How your feet interact with the ground.

This process is known as motor learning.

Rather than simply building stronger muscles, Pilates provides an opportunity for the brain and body to develop more efficient movement strategies before those strategies are challenged under the much higher forces experienced during running.

For me, Pilates is less about exercising muscles.

It's about educating movement.

"Pilates doesn't just strengthen muscles—it teaches movement."

That simple idea shapes almost everything I do in the studio.

Efficient movement starts at the centre

The word core has become one of the most misunderstood terms in fitness.

When I talk about the core, I'm referring to the integrated system that helps stabilise the spine before movement occurs.

This includes the diaphragm, pelvic floor, deep abdominal muscles and spinal stabilisers working together.

Studies investigating Pilates suggest improvements in the coordination and timing of these muscles rather than simply increasing muscular strength.

For runners, improved trunk control may contribute to:

More efficient transfer of force
Reduced unnecessary movement
Improved movement economy
Greater stability during single-leg loading

Rather than creating more power, the body becomes better at using the power it already generates.

There is no perfect running technique

One of the most interesting developments in sports biomechanics is the growing understanding of movement variability.

There is no single "perfect" running style.

Healthy movement is adaptable.

Your running naturally changes depending on speed, terrain, fatigue, footwear and training load.

The goal isn't to eliminate variation.

It's to develop enough strength, coordination and movement options for your body to adapt successfully to changing demands.

Pilates supports this adaptability by improving movement awareness, balance and control rather than forcing everybody into one ideal posture.

Running economy: doing more with less

Running economy describes the amount of oxygen your body requires to maintain a given running pace.

Several studies investigating recreational runners have reported improvements in running economy following structured Pilates programmes.

The improvements are generally modest.

Pilates won't replace interval training, strength training or running itself.

However, reducing unnecessary movement means less energy is wasted controlling the body.

Across thousands of strides, small improvements in efficiency may become increasingly meaningful, particularly over longer distances.

Balance, proprioception and confidence

After an ankle sprain, it's not only the ligaments that are affected.

The body's proprioceptive system—its ability to sense joint position and movement—may also become impaired.

Many runners continue to describe a feeling of instability long after pain has settled.

Pilates challenges balance, coordination and single-leg control in a carefully graded environment.

For runners with recurrent ankle sprains, these qualities may form an important part of rehabilitation alongside appropriate strength training and a progressive return-to-running programme.

Why I use the Reformer

One of the reasons I enjoy working with runners on the Reformer is that it creates an environment where movement quality can take priority.

The adjustable spring resistance allows us to reduce external load while maintaining precision.

Together we can progressively develop:

Foot control
Ankle mobility
Calf strength
Hip stability
Spinal mobility
Balance
Single-leg control

Every exercise becomes an opportunity to improve movement quality before transferring those skills back into running.

What does the evidence actually say?

One of the principles I try to follow at Movement Reset is being honest about what research can—and cannot—tell us.

Current evidence suggests Pilates may improve aspects of:

Trunk stability
Lumbopelvic control
Balance and proprioception
Movement coordination
Lower-limb biomechanics
Running economy

However, running performance and injury risk are influenced by many interacting factors, including training load, strength, tendon capacity, cardiovascular fitness, recovery, sleep, nutrition, previous injury and running-specific training.

Pilates isn't a replacement for running-specific training.

Nor can it guarantee injury prevention.

Instead, I see Pilates as one component of an evidence-informed approach to helping people move more efficiently, manage load more effectively and continue enjoying running over the long term.

The Movement Reset Philosophy

People often ask me whether Pilates will make them a better runner.

I think a better question is:

How do you want your body to serve you?

For some people that's running a marathon.

For others it's completing Couch to 5K.

Keeping up with their children.

Walking the dog without pain.

Playing tennis.

Travelling confidently.

Remaining active and independent as they grow older.

Movement isn't simply about exercise.

It's how we experience life.

At Movement Reset Studio, Pilates isn't the destination.

It's the tool I use to help people better understand how their bodies move.

Every programme begins with a detailed assessment—not simply of where it hurts, but of how the whole body moves.

Together we'll identify where movement is being lost, where unnecessary effort is developing and where your body may be working harder than it needs to.

Then we'll build a personalised programme that combines the best available evidence with your goals, your lifestyle and the way you move.

My goal isn't simply to strengthen muscles.

It's to help every part of your body work together more effectively, so you can keep doing the things you love with confidence, efficiency and freedom.

Because ultimately, success isn't measured by how good you become at Pilates.

It's measured by how well your body supports the life you want to live.

References

Barton CJ, Bonanno D, Carr J, Neal BS, Malliaras P, Franklyn-Miller A, et al. Running retraining to treat lower limb injuries: a mixed-methods systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine.

de Souza Andrade L, da Silva Almeida L, Mochizuki L, Sousa CV, Neto JH, Kennedy MD, Durigan JL, Mota YL. What is the exercise intensity of Pilates? An analysis of energy expenditure, blood lactate, and intensity of apparatus and mat Pilates sessions. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. 2021;26:36–42.

Heyward VH, Kotarski M. Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription. 2nd ed.

Impact of Pilates mat-based exercises on knee kinematics during running. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. 2023.

Otsuka M, Kawahara T, Isaka T. Acute response of well-trained sprinters to a 100-m race: higher sprinting velocity is achieved with increased step rate compared with speed training.

Randomised controlled study on the effects of Pilates training on athletic performance. PubMed Central (PMC). 2025.

Resistance Exercise for Improving Running Economy and Running Biomechanics: A Narrative Review. Sports Medicine. 2022.

Robinson L, et al. The role of transversus abdominis and multifidus activation in spinal stability. (Referenced within Pilates literature on core muscle recruitment.)

Segal NA, Hein J, Basford JR. The effects of Pilates training on flexibility and body composition: an observational study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2004;85(12):1977–1981.

Systematic Review: Are alterations in running biomechanics associated with running injury? 2023.

Yılmaz Ö, Soylu Y, Kaplan T, Taşkın M. How Pilates exercises affect sports performance? A systematic review. Türk Fizyoterapi ve Rehabilitasyon Dergisi.