The most common mistake I see runners make when they are returning to running from injury is doing too much too soon.

This is usually due to a lack of proper understanding of their injury (the actual cause, and how long it had been brewing before becoming symptomatic).

So how do you return to running after injury?

I am going to use an example to illustrate exactly what I mean.

Let’s talk about Sally. Sally is a runner who has recently experienced an ITB issue (pain around the outside of the knee, learn more about ITB issues). Initially, this pain came on towards the end of a 20km run, she rested for a couple of days and then ran again but this time the pain came on after 12km.

Does this sound familiar?

Sally then decided to rest for 3 days to “really let it settle down” but unfortunately during her next run, the pain started at 5km and became so painful that she had to stop her run early and limp home. Her knee felt like it had a “knife sticking into the side of it”.

Finally, coming to terms with the fact that her knee wasn’t going to improve without doing something proactive, Sally booked in for a massage and reluctantly resigned herself to three full weeks of no running. She did some swimming and some boxing classes during the break from running to try and maintain some fitness as well as her sanity! 

At this point, Sally should have sought professional advice from a running specialist physiotherapist to have her injury properly diagnosed and a treatment and rehabilitation plan created to ensure she recovered properly.

(We recommend this FREE Cross Training Plan, to help build strength and maintain your fitness, while you are recovering from any running injury)

BUT . . . she didn’t seek help, so this is what happened instead:

After three weeks of rest, Sally’s knee felt quite good again with no pain at all during the day. So, without any formal guidance, she decided to give it an “easy test” with a 5km run. The 5km run went really well, the endorphins came rushing back, along with a sense of well-being and satisfaction that she was on the comeback path.

BUT – the next day she headed out for an 8km run (because the 5km was easy) and the knife came back to meet her after only 3km. She walks home feeling completely dejected.

In this example, we have talked about an ITB issue, but the same mechanism of injury is true of any of the common overuse running injuries. Sally could have had any of the following injuries and experienced the same problem.

  • Shin splints
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Achilles tendonitis
  • Patella tendonitis
  • Gluteal tendinopathy
  • Runners Knee

If you have had an overuse injury that was severe enough to keep you out of running for 3 weeks or more, then you have to follow a very carefully planned incremental return to running. If not, the injury will probably come back again, and the second time, Just like Sally, it is usually worse!

If you are injured, and you can’t currently run, we recommend you follow our Free Cross Training Plan. This will help you maintain your fitness, build your strength and prepare your body for a safer return to running.

How exactly should you return to running?

After treating thousands of runners and helping them successfully return to running after injury, I know that you need the right combination of progressive walk/run intervals and specific stretching, rolling and strength exercises to ensure a fast and full recovery.

By gradually increasing your running load you will be surprised how quickly you can safely get back to a full training volume.

 

Follow Our Ultimate Guide To Return To Running Injury Free

If you have been injured and you are ready to start building up your running again, you should start our Return To Running Plan

It is designed to get you back to the sport you love as soon as possible, injury free.

If you are not yet able to run, we recommend you start with our FREE 4-week Cross Training Plan. This includes advice on how to choose the right cross training options for your particular injury.

Stop bouncing from injury to injury and get back to the sport you love, injury free.

Learn more about our Return to Running Plan