To run your best, you need strength in the muscles of your arms, core, legs, and glutes so you can propel yourself forward. If any of these areas are weak, another part of your body will likely have to compensate, leading to muscle imbalances.
What to Know About Pelvic Floor Stability activation, or delayed firing of primary stabilizers, like your core muscles or hip stabilizers, and the over-recruitment of primary movers like your hamstrings Journal of Clinical Orthopedics and Trauma Runner’s World. If left unaddressed, muscle imbalances can disrupt your running mechanics, which ultimately derails performance, she explains.
Muscle imbalances can rob you of speed and power—or worse, lead to injury, adds Anil Nandkumar, D.P.T., physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.
Unfortunately for runners, many common signs of muscle imbalances go unnoticed until you end up sidelined. This is why it’s important to know how to spot and address them, so they don’t get in the way of you reaching your full running potential. Here’s what to look for and how to address your weak spots.
4 Common Signs of Muscle Imbalances
1. Lack of Single-Leg Strength
Because running is a single-leg sport, you need enough strength and stability to stand on one leg at a time. If you’re standing on one leg and your torso leans to one side, your hip drops to one side, your knee drifts in, or your ankle rolls then you probably have a muscle imbalance, says Nandkumar.
“While you’re running, you may not even notice that something’s happening until you slow down, or maybe you do that single-leg stance. So while you’re running, your imbalances actually end up getting masked,” Nandkumar says.
2. Aches and Pains
Many people mistakenly think running is supposed to hurt in some way, so they fight through the pain. But it’s important to pay attention to any pain, whether it happens when you’re out clocking miles or after.
There isn’t one type of pain to pay attention to, but in general any pain that feels out of the norm is worth taking note of, says Nandkumar. For example, if an ache throws off your running form or happens every time you push off or land.
Also, after a run, take note of any pain that doesn’t feel like typical muscle soreness, lingers, or the area is tender or warm to touch, as those signs could mean you need to shore up weak spots.
Front-of-the-knee pain, tight calves, and back pain all indicate muscle imbalances. For example, if you're experiencing knee pain, this could be a sign you have poor ankle strength or stability, weak hips, or weak glutes, and if you’re experiencing back pain this could also mean you have a weak core or weak glutes, says Nandkumar.
3. Compromised Running Form
If your deep core muscles (think: pelvic floor, deep abdominals, and buttocks muscles) aren’t firing properly with adequate strength to provide stability, then this can translate to faulty running mechanics, says Brough. Even though you may feel strong, your hip could be dropping to one side or your knee may be drifting inward as you run.
Also, if you start your runs off feeling strong, but notice a loss in strength and momentum midrun, this could indicate a muscle imbalance as well, says Brough.
4. Constant Injuries
The point of identifying your muscle imbalances is to avoid injury, but the road goes both ways: Constantly being injured can also signal you have a muscle imbalance, says Brough. And research demonstrates the correlation between the two.
For example, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Orthopedics and Trauma published in 2024 found that stronger hip external rotator muscles served as a protective factor against running-related injuries, suggesting that weakness in this area could increase injury risk.
Another study published by published in 2024 in 2024 highlights the link between hip strength and better knee alignment on the run, and says that weakness of the hips can lead to asymmetries in running mechanics, which can increase risk of injury.
Published: May 27, 2025 1:05 PM EDT
Nandkumar recommends you have a running analysis conducted by a physical therapist who can effectively spot and treat any muscle imbalances you may have. But if this isn’t an option, you can also test for muscle imbalances on your own.
Below are three tests to try. When performing these tests, pay attention to the movement of your torso, hips, knees, and ankles, to see if they’re aligned vertically. If not, the likely culprit is above or below the unstable joint, says Nandkumar.
Although every situation is different, here’s what you should pay attention to and why.
1. Do a Single-Leg or Step-Down Test
Simply standing on one leg in front of a mirror is an easy way to test for muscle imbalances. You can also watch yourself walking down the steps and record it.
→Look for: torso stable (shoulders over hips), hips in line with each other, stable ankles
2. Record Yourself Running
Have someone record your running for at least 10 seconds from the front, back, and side.
→Look for: torso upright (no rounding or excessive rotation), hips in line with each other, knees over toes, pronation (ankle rolling in or out)
3. Do a Squat
RW+ Membership Benefits bodyweight squat is another way you check for imbalances.
→Look for: torso upright (not falling forward), knees over toes, stable ankles
What the Misalignment Means
If your torso shifts excessively in any direction...
- Weak core
- Weak back muscles
If your hip drops to one side...
- Knee not accepting the load (need to strengthen muscles around this joint)
- Weak core
- Weak glutes
If your knees drift in...
- Weak glutes
- Weak quads
- Lack of mobility in the foot/ankle
If your ankle rolls...
- Weak muscles around the ankle
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- Weak muscles around the hip
Weak muscles around the ankle
Strength Train
Nandkumar recommends strength training twice a week and practicing exercises that target your specific weakness. For example, single-leg exercises like single-leg squats are a great way to target ankles, hips, and glutes, while calf raises are great for targeting the calves and ankle muscles.
ankle rolling in or out unilateral exercises. This means keeping the load or resistance the same on each side, says Nandkumar. When practicing bilateral exercises (both legs), it’s important to focus on form published in the.
Do Smarter Warmups
You can also add exercises that target your weak areas to your warmup deep core muscles banded side steps or glute bridges prerun.
Practice Activation on the Run
In order to translate your new found strength into your runs you need to be mindful. For example, squeezing your glute every time your foot hits the ground if your weak in this area, says Brough.
How to Film Yourself Running for a Gait Analysis foot strikes the ground. The goal is to land lightly, which requires core strength and stability in the low back and pelvis, Brough explains. So think about landing softly as you stride; it’s often about making that mind-body connection.
Monique LeBrun is a health and fitness editor who is based in Easton, Pennsylvania. She covers a wide range of health and wellness topics, with a primary focus on running performance and nutrition. Monique is passionate about creating content that empowers runners to become the best versions of themselves. As an avid runner and parent, she loves spending time outdoors with her daughter, who often accompanies her on weekend runs as her personal mini run coach.
