Return to running

This advice is meant to guide you back to running quickly and more importantly safely with less risk of re-injury. If you have any questions or are unable to return to sport you should discuss your injury with a Physiotherapist. You can contact the NHS Physiotherapy service on 01792 487453.

Follow each of the stages below in order, do not move on until you can manage all the tasks in that stage without pain or swelling for 24 hours afterwards. You will complete some stages faster than others, this is normal. Two examples are given throughout of a running level before your injury

① 10km sub 45mins (13.5km/h) ② 5km sub 30mins (10km/h)

STAGE 1 – PAIN-FREE
full pain-free movement in the injured joint / muscle	No pain or swelling after normal daily activities (e.g. dressing, walking, stairs etc.)

STAGE 2 – BASIC FUNCTION

Balance on the injured leg for 20 sec

STAGE 3 – STARTING DISTANCE

Walking

To work-out the distance you should be walking at this stage take your pre-injury running distance and half it for every 6 weeks you missed due to injury (to a minimum of 1km). This should be pain free with no swelling. Increase until you can complete half of your pre-injury distance

e.g. ① up to 6 weeks off walk 5km, 12 weeks off walk 2.5km

② up to 6 weeks off walk 2.5km, 12 weeks off walk 1km

STAGE 3 STARTING DISTANCE continued

Cycling Complete a bike ride covering your pre-injury running distance

e.g. ①10km ② 5km

STAGE 4 – START JOGGING

Start jogging but not more than 3 times per week

Complete the same distance you walked in stage 3 but jog ½ km then walk ½ km repeated until you have completed the distance. Alternatively, on a running track jog for 1 lap then walk for 1 lap repeated.

e.g. ① 5km, ② 2.5km

STAGE 5 - JOGGING

Jogging

Run the distance you walked in stage 3 continuously without resting and aim for a pace 2km/h slower than you managed before your injury.

e.g. ① 5km @ 11.5km/h (26 mins) ② 2.5km @ 8km/h (18 mins)

Running

Run half the distance you walked in stage 3 at 2km/h faster than your pre-injury pace

e.g. ① 2.5km @ 15.5km/h (10 mins) ② 1.2km @ 12km/h (6 mins)

STAGE 6 – RETURN TO RUNNING

Once you have completed all the above stages and tests you are ready to return towards regular running. Only increase 1 variable at a time:

FREQUENCY – how often you run per week

INTENSITY – how fast you run

TIME – how long you run for