Gait Retraining for Running-Related Injuries

Gait retraining has emerged as a potential strategy for managing running-related injuries through modifications in step cadence, footstrike patterns, and impact loading. However, its clinical effectiveness, particularly regarding pain reduction and injury prevention, remains incompletely established. This systematic review, conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020, examined primary studies published between 2018 and 2026 and retrieved from Scopus, PubMed, and OpenAlex. Among 768 identified records, 413 underwent screening, resulting in the inclusion of 27 studies, of which 12 were randomized or quasi-randomized trials and 15 employed non-randomized designs. The findings generally indicated improvements in pain and reductions in impact loading following gait retraining interventions. A large trial involving novice runners documented a 62% reduction in injury occurrence (hazard ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.25–0.59). In contrast, two trials conducted among recreational runners did not demonstrate an overall reduction in injury incidence. These findings suggest that gait retraining can alleviate pain, reduce functional disability, and modify impact-related biomechanical variables, although its preventive effectiveness remains uncertain, with the strongest evidence of benefit observed among novice runners.