How To Return To Running After Injury Or Pain.
Running is a beloved activity for many offering both physical and mental health benefits. However, returning to running after an injury can be challenging. This guide provides practical advice for runners looking to get back on track after experiencing pain or injury.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you transition safely back to your running routine:
1. Assessing Readiness For Running
Hopping Test: One of the primary indicators of readiness to run is your ability to perform hopping exercises. Running is essentially a series of single-leg hops, so if you can hop comfortably on each leg, you're likely ready to start running.
2. Building Volume, Frequency, and Intensity
Follow the pyramid approach:
- Volume: Start with low volume and gradually increase.
- Frequency: Once volume is manageable, increase the frequency.
- Intensity: Only after volume and frequency are well tolerated should you increase intensity.
3. Walking Before Running
Begin with extensive walking. This helps in accumulating volume through your feet, ankles, and calves without the higher impact of running. If you can walk consistently with minimal or no symptoms, you’re ready to progress to jogging. Transition from walking to a very slow jog. Your initial jogging sessions should be at a conversational pace. This approach minimises the risk of re-injury by managing the load on your muscles and joints.
4. Managing Pain
It's common to experience some discomfort when returning to running. Aim for:
- Low Symptoms: Pain levels should be low (less than 3-4 out of 10).
- Stable Symptoms: Pain should remain stable and not worsen over time or after runs.
- Expect Flare Ups: We have a got this covered in a blog here.
5. Use The Run-Walk Method
The run-walk method is an effective way to ease back into running. It involves gradually increasing the jogging time while maintaining walking intervals.
For example:
- 1 minute walk, 2 minutes jog
- 1 minute walk, 3 minutes jog
- Continue this pattern until you can jog continuously for 10 minutes or more.
Run-walks are highly individualised and progressed differently for person to person!
Don’t rush the process. If a particular progression causes discomfort, revert to the previous level until you can handle it comfortably.
Additional Tips for Runners
- Stay Consistent: Consistency is key. Regular, manageable runs are better than sporadic intense runs.
- Seek Professional Advice: If you struggle with your return to running, consult with one our team to tailor a plan specific to your needs.
Conclusion
Returning to running after an injury is a journey that requires patience, consistency, and careful management of load and symptoms. By following this guide, you can confidently and safely get back to the sport you love.
About Us: We are a Podiatry Clinic in Albury specialising in foot and ankle pain, function, and performance improvement. We focus on helping runners achieve their goals and recover from injuries effectively.