Take the Conservative Road Back to Running After an Injury
We all have almost certainly experienced some setbacks from running. Looking back over the years, I have gone through my fair share. Whether from an injury, illness, or just life, there are times when we have to step away from running altogether. Deciding to take time off can be especially difficult if you are trying to reach a goal. Maybe more important, though, are the steps you should take when it is time to start running after an injury or a layoff.
Going back to running after an extended period requires a gradual progression that most will find frustrating or discouraging. I have made this progression back several times during my twenty-five years of running. Each time I come back, I feel the loss of overall fitness, but I always ask myself one question. Should I make a slow, pain-free progression back to my fitness level before the layoff or force myself back to that level too quickly and risk re-injuring myself? You are better to run a little less for some time to allow your body to continue to heal.
Recommended Weekly Mileage Post Recovery
Even if your reason for not running was that work got in the way for three weeks, the training principles remain the same. A general guide to setting up your weekly mileage should be as follows:
- For two weeks off, start back with 50 percent weekly mileage before the injury or time off.
- After four weeks off, start back at 30 percent.
- For six to eight weeks or longer, start with a walk or jog.
If your time off was from an injury, you should be able to walk for 30 minutes without any pain before returning to running. Close to 80 percent of running injuries are a result of too quick of an increase in mileage.
Gradually increase your total running time/miles by no more than 10 percent each week as you come back to running after an injury. This 10 percent rule is not universal, but it will give most runners a safe means to increase their weekly mileage. Make sure to complete each of these running workouts with a relatively easy effort. Most experts recommend staying away from hills and speed work until you are back to 75-80 percent of your mileage before the injury occurred.
Learn From Your Mistakes
Remember, you must discover the reason for the injury. Knowing why the injury occurred will significantly help to prevent re-injury. Factors such as strength, biomechanics, flexibility, running surface, and the type of shoes can all lead to injury. Learning from these mistakes is essential to getting back into running, staying healthy, and continuing to reach your goals.
Each time I experience an injury or time away from running, I re-focus my attention and efforts to increase strength and flexibility. Coming back, you most likely will not be running your usual total number of days per week. Use some of these days off to find new cross-training activities to enjoy. I prefer to swim, hike, or stand-up paddleboard, but anything that is not as hard on your body as running will help your mind and body.
Returning from an injury also marks an excellent time to get re-fitted for a pair of running shoes or learn if a custom shoe insert can provide additional support. As your body changes, you can expect to see some difference in your running and walking gait. By re-analyzing your running form, you will be able to stay on top of these changes, improve your overall body alignment, and reduce the incidence of stress-related injuries.
If you feel any pain or unusual fatigue during your comeback, stop running. Go back to walking and cross-training until all issues subside. Just like me, you are going to have ups and downs as you get back into running. You have to learn to roll with the punches. Don’t get too excited on the good days or also down with the bad days. Even during a smooth return to training, you may get discouraged. It is okay to feel this way; it’s normal. We all feel it. Just keep with it, continue cross-training, take care of your body, and you will make your way back.
Make sure you listen to your body!
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