Hello Everyone,
The below post goes with the video we've made about returning to running after an injury. So follow along and I hope you're back getting it done again very soon!
Disclaimer - This is NOT medical advice, simply what I would do in these situations. Always consult a physio or healthcare professional when dealing with injuries.
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Before going out for your first run after being off with an injury, you should be able to perform these four tests pain free:
- 30-45 minute walk
- 20 hops on the injured leg
- 20-30 single leg calf raises on the injured leg
- Run on the spot or high knees for at least 100 strides
If you can do all of these things without any pain then you should be ready to go for your first run/walk session!
Example return to running plan after having 7-10 days off
Include a 5-10 minute warm up walk before each session.
Day 1 - 3x 5 minutes easy run / 5 minutes walk
Day 2 - Rest
Day 3 - 3x 8 minutes easy run / 2 minutes
Day 4 - Rest
Day 5 - 2x 14 minutes easy run / 1 minute walk
Day 6 - Rest
Day 7 - Resume plan
Easy runs for one more week and then you can start building in speed work and long runs again.
Example return to running plan after having 10-20 days off
Include a 5-10 minute warm up walk before each session.
Day 1 - 3x 2 minutes easy run / 8 minutes walk
Day 2 - Rest
Day 3 - 3x 4 minutes easy run / 6 minutes walk
Day 4 - Rest
Day 5 - 3x 6 minutes easy run / 4 minutes walk
Day 6 - Rest
Day 7 - 3x 9 minutes easy run / 1 minute walk
Day 8 - Rest
Day 9 - 2x 14 minutes easy run / 1 minute walk
Day 10 - Rest
Day 11 - 30 minute easy run
Day 12 - Rest
Day 13 - 45 minute easy run
Day 14 - Rest
Easy runs for 1-2 more weeks and then you can start building in speed work and long runs again.
Example return to running plan after having 3+ weeks off
Include a 5-10 minute warm up walk before each session.
Day 1 - 3x 1 minute easy run / 9 minutes walk
Day 2 - Rest
Day 3 - 3x 2 minutes easy run / 8 minutes walk
Day 4 - Rest
Day 5 - 3x 4 minutes easy run / 6 minutes walk
Day 6 - Rest
Day 7 - 3x 6 minutes easy run / 4 minutes walk
Day 8 - Rest
Day 9 - 3x 8 minutes easy run / 2 minutes walk
Day 10 - Rest
Day 11 - 3x 9 minutes easy run / 1 minute walk
Day 12 - Rest
Day 13 - 2x 14 minutes easy run / 1 minute walk
Day 14 - Rest
Day 15 - 20 minutes easy run
Day 16 - Rest
Day 17 - 25 minutes easy run
Day 18 - Rest
Day 19 - 30 minutes easy run
Day 20 - Rest
Day 21 - 40 minutes easy run
Easy runs for 2-3 more weeks and then you can start building in speed work and long runs again.
If at any point throughout this process you start experiencing pain, stop your run and get back in touch with your physio or doctor for advice on how to move forward.