How important is strengthening in the prevention of running injuries?
There are several studies in the running literature that state that strengthening exercises DO NOT prevent injury.
One recent study listed below found in their subjects that runners who got injured actually had MORE strength in their hip abductor muscles then those runners who did not get injured. Beware the reader! Upon closer look at several of these studies, you will find confounding variables and limiting factors that are contributing to these outcomes. There are studies that demonstrate the development of strength after injury but not many well constructed studies on the effect of strength over time in runners. In conclusion, there just is not enough strong evidence in the literature that states that strength training has a direct impact on the development of injuries. However, treating strength deficits in injured runners is an important part of the rehabilitation process. There is strong evidence for an increase in running economy and running performance with strength training as well as evidence that strength training improves outcomes in runners experiencing symptoms of Achilles and gluteal tendinopathy.
( Dillon et al https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33899779/ )