Here are four hip-strengthening exercises to ward off common running injuries.

You may think you have "bad knees" from running, but evidence is pointing to weak hip muscles as the culprit behind running-related injuries, says a review in Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach.

Weak hips change your normal ankle and knee alignment when you jog, which stresses tissues unnaturally, says lead author Reed Ferber of the University of Calgary in Canada. He suggests these four moves to shore up your hips. Complete 10 reps with each leg every day.