What to look for in a running app when you are injury-prone

Most running apps are built around pace and distance. If you often get sore or injured, a few other things matter more.

Five things to look for

• It asks how your body feels – not just how fast you ran.
• The plan can hold back – easing off should be a normal part of the plan.
• Clear advice on when to see a professional – no app can examine you.
• Help with aches along the way – exercises or self-help when something is sore.
• Honest about price – what is free, and what the trial turns into.

Our take

See the comparison on the front page for how each app handles this.

Apps in the comparison

• PFU Running Coach
• Exakt Health
• Runna
• Recover Athletics
• Toga
• The Run Experience
• Garmin Coach

Read next

• Running with a niggle: when to hold backA small ache while running? How to tell when it is fine to keep going, when to hold back, and when to get it checked.
• Return to running after injury: start smallComing back after an injury or a break? How to build up again without starting over, and which apps can help.

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