Balance training has become the go to recommendation from doctors and physical therapists because it addresses multiple areas that directly impact a runners performance and injury prevention. I've seen firsthand how adding balance boards to your training routine improves core engagement and ankle stability which are key to good form and reducing the risk of sprains and overuse injuries. Balance exercises can also challenge the upper body when combined with movements like push-ups or rotations making them a total body conditioning tool. More professionals are endorsing balance boards because they provide a low impact functional way to train underutilized muscles and neuromuscular control in traditional strength programs. In my experience runners who consistently incorporate balance training notice better stability, more efficient gait and fewer recurring injuries which is why it's becoming a must have in modern training plans.
Founder and CEO / Health & Fitness Entrepreneur at Hypervibe (Vibration Plates)
Answered 6 months ago
Balance training is essential for runners who want to stay injury-free and perform smarter. The main reason more PTs and doctors are recommending balance boards is that they upgrade the neuromuscular system. Running is basically your body doing a controlled fall thousands of times—so your brain, not just your muscles, needs to know how to react fast. Balance training sharpens that feedback loop between your feet, ankles, hips, and core, reducing the chance of ankle sprains or knee collapse before they happen. Also, balance work forces your "forgotten" stabilizers to finally show up to the party. Muscles like the peroneals, glute medius, and transverse abdominis get activated when you're wobbling on a board—something you won't get from machines or linear workouts. And it's not just a lower-body thing. Upper body exercises on a dynamic surface light up deep postural muscles and rotator cuff stabilizers—key for runners who struggle with posture breakdown during long runs. There's now solid clinical backing, too. Studies show that adding proprioceptive training improves gait mechanics, reaction time, and ankle stability—all critical metrics for runners.
For runners (and walkers) wishing to include balance training in their routine, I am a big advocate for the need for balanced strength for core and ankle stability, as well as upper body strength. Because running, when you think about it, is a one-legged sport. Balanced strength is paramount to avoid injury and maximize performance. Moreover, balance and stability go together. Balance allows an individual to stay upright and stable, while stability is how we maintain alignment in the body. If balance is challenged, that can lead to too much movement at the foot, where the foot is unstable, and instability works all the way to the torso, which increases risk for traumatic injury (rolled ankles) as well as overuse injury (due to compensating for instability) that occurs when running in a forward position. This is the reason I, along with many doctors and physiotherapists, recommend balance board and balance training exercises (https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/balance-board-exercises#Improving-your-balance-with-a-balance-board) as part of a runner's repertoire. Balance board training helps mitigate the risks of developing common runner injuries, such as IT band syndrome or runner's knee, by incorporating the core and hip, allowing for a stronger professional leg. A few suggested exercises to promote standing stability (https://www.hss.edu/health-library/move-better/balance-exercises-runners) on a progressive level include: (1) Standing on one foot to brush your teeth. (2) Performing single-leg exercises—bicep curls, single-leg deadlifts. (3) Doing single-leg exercises on a surface that challenges stability, for example, a foam pad or BOSU ball. (4) Doing core and hip strengthening exercises—using planks, glute bridges, band walks, etc. By improving balance and stability, runners can be more efficient and hold less energy to control excessive motion, which is simple and effective to maximize performance and avoid injury.
When I began training for longer distance runs, I started having issues with ankle discomfort and tight hips. Strength training was a good solution for me, but the real change came from adding balance work. Using a balance board forced me to slow down and really pay attention to how my body was moving. At first, it felt weird but gradually I found my ankles would not roll quite as easily and my stride felt more stable. It taught me that running strength is not just power, it is control. What surprised me is how it helped my upper body too. Planks and pushups on a balance board taught my shoulders and core to stay stable while running tired during long runs. All the little stabilizing muscles I never knew existed would quietly start working in the background, keeping everything level Now, I keep balance work a part of weekly routine because it develops strength that will keep you running not just training. It allows you to move smarter instead of working harder.
Balance training is increasingly recommended for runners because it strengthens not just the large muscle groups, but also the neuromuscular connections that support stability, coordination, and injury prevention. Balance boards and other unstable surfaces challenge the core muscles including the deep stabilizers of the spine and pelvis. These muscles are essential for maintaining efficient posture and form during long runs. Additionally, these boards target the small stabilizing muscles around the ankle and foot, improving proprioception (the body's sense of position) and reducing the risk of common injuries such as ankle sprains, Achilles issues, and knee pain. Over time, this translates into smoother, more controlled running mechanics and better resilience against repetitive stress. Interestingly, balance training isn't limited to the lower body, it can act as a whole-body intervention, including the upper body. The reason more doctors are recommending balance training is that it's low-impact, versatile, and evidence-backed by providing functional strength improvements without adding heavy joint stress. Clinical research has shown that incorporating balance exercises improves postural control, shortens recovery times, and enhances athletic performance across disciplines. Furthermore, balance training improves stability, coordination, and core strength, reducing the risk of falls and everyday injuries while supporting overall mobility.
Hi there, I'm Lachlan Brown, mindfulness coach and co-founder of The Considered Man. While my background is in psychology and mindfulness, I work closely with athletes and professionals who use mindful movement and balance work to strengthen both the body and attention. So I'd like to share my thoughts for your piece in Runner's World: The reason more doctors and physical therapists are recommending balance boards and balance training now is that they activate the smaller stabilizing muscles that traditional strength work often overlooks. For runners, that means better ankle control, fewer micro-injuries and improved proprioception — the brain's ability to sense where the body is in space. That awareness first prevents falls and also sharpens reaction time. As a reusult, movement becomes more efficient. What's often missed in this conversation is how balance training connects the body and mind. The moment you stand on an unstable surface, your attention naturally shifts to the present. You can't be scrolling your phone and balancing at the same time. That automatic mindfulness trains not only physical stability but also focus — a kind of embodied meditation in motion. In my own experience, combining simple balance-board drills with breath awareness has helped many clients reduce tension, improve posture, and even recover faster from overuse injuries. So, consider it as nervous system training. Cheers, Lachlan Brown Mindfulness Coach | Co-founder, The Considered Man
When I started using balance training, I realised it's not just about standing on a wobble board — it's actually about teaching your body to work more as one. For runners, that's a pretty big deal. It strengthens the deep muscles around your core, hips, and ankles—the ones that quietly keep you stable with every step. Doctors and physios are big on it now because it really works for both injury prevention and recovery. If you've ever rolled an ankle or felt your form fall apart when you're tired, balance training helps fix that. It sharpens your awareness so your body reacts before things go wrong. What surprised me most was how it connects everything — brain, muscles, movement. You feel your coordination improve, and suddenly even your upper body starts getting involved. Add a band or a dumbbell, and it becomes full-body work that challenges your strength and stability at the same time. It doesn't take too much equipment or time, but the difference is pretty obvious - steadier runs, better control and fewer aches. Pretty much why more professionals are recommending it: it helps you move better, and not just train harder.
Balance training strengthens runners' core and ankle stability by engaging stabilizer muscles through dynamic exercises like single-leg stands or wobble board drills, reducing injury risk by up to 30% per HSS studies. It develops ankle proprioception for uneven trails (which reduces twists), while core work—like planks on a balance board — helps with posture and power transfer through strides, reducing fatigue in longer runs. For the upper body, use medicine balls on unstable surfaces to challenge shoulder and arm stability, developing good form for efficiency in arm swings (which can increase speed 5-10% in endurance events). As a U.S. Army veteran, where core and ankle strength determined success in the ruck marches, I included balance drills after a trail run ankle sprain; using board exercises 10 minutes every day rewired my stability, letting me hit a 5K PR without pain. Runners should begin with 2 to 3 sessions a week, focusing on controlled movements to avoid overstrain. Balance training is recommended by more doctors and physical therapists to improve neuromuscular control, prevent injury and reduce falls! Overuse injuries are also on the rise - more than 50% of runners experience them every year - and PTs are eyeing boards as a low-cost way to work at home on joint strength, coordination, and bone mass. In my post-Army training, a PT prescribed board exercises for ankle rehab, cutting my recovery time by two weeks and inspiring sauna sessions for added relief. It's important for professionals to select boards with adjustable difficulty, align them with core routines, and measure progress using fitness apps like MyFitnessPal in order to quantify gains - which is all to say that it translates to a lasting highway shoulder that can stand up to the long haul.
Hi, just to clarify upfront, I am not a PT, and my answer is based primarily on research studies that I've read and some conversations that I've had with athletes and PTs. I believe the most highly cited clinical review article with respect to running and stability (focusing on middle and long-distance running, not sprinting) is the following 2005 paper from Stanford University by Michael Fredericson, MD, and Tammara Moore, PT: """ Fredericson, Michael & Moore, Tammara. (2005). Muscular Balance, Core Stability, and Injury Prevention for Middle- and Long-Distance Runners. Physical medicine and rehabilitation clinics of North America. 10.1016/j.pmr.2005.03.001. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7739897_Muscular_Balance_Core_Stability_and_Injury_Prevention_for_Middle-_and_Long-Distance_Runners """ The article provides exercises for both lower and upper body work, arguing that both are necessary. It seems that improving muscular balance, muscular/strength symmetry is overall beneficial to health as suggested by this study (as well as several others): Associations of Grip Strength Asymmetry With Multiple Health Outcomes - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749379725000509 Measuring grip strength is a simple way of determining the level as asymmetry (which balance training corrects). Most PTs usually have some kind of grip measuring tool and grip measurements are now also increasingly more common among PTs and doctors. Simple grip measuring tools for personal use are also very affordable (you can get them on Amazon for less than $30), and they offer a simple, quantifiable way to measure a person's strength imbalance. Here is also a free online grip strength calculator, which helps people understand their left-right strength imbalance: - https://www.dexdia.com/grip-calculator Here's an example with the calculator filled out with data from an actual person showing a 12.1% asymmetry: - https://www.dexdia.com/grip-calculator?units=freedom_units&gender=Male&age=30&height_us_ft=5&height_us_in=10&strength_left_lbs=112.44&strength_right_lbs=127.87 This calculator tool is actually something I worked on two years ago and the dataset it uses comes from the following research paper: - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0163917 I'm happy to provide you with any of the mentioned research papers or give you any further information on any questions you might have on the topic of balance training and running.