Return To Running After Injury?
Running After Injury | 4 Simple Steps
Running after injury can be a tricky step. Am I ready to run? How do I know I’m ready to run? What’s the best way to return to running? These are common questions runners want to know having suffered an injury.
65-80% of recreational runners pick up an injury each year. Commonly these are overuse or repetitive strain injuries that can develop steadily over time. Therefore, it can be tricky to know when to stop, and when to try and start running after injury. Check out our blogs on the top 5 running injuries for more info.

A well trodden path is to rest completely, then try again as you were previously. Often this doesn’t work and can almost be detrimental to recovery. The next thing you know it’s been months and your runs are getting fewer and far between, and your injury is getting worse. Ultimately, it’s time to get some treatment!
You need a Return To Running after injury programme (RTR Programme). A step-by-step, progressive plan that allows your injury to heal, heal well, strong enough to take the impact of running again, and not overload too soon.
3 Pain Rules

If you are experiencing pain then follow these 3 simple rules. You will be less likely to aggravate your symptoms, more likely give your body the chance to heal well, and ensure you do not cause any lasting damage:
- 3/10 – if you perceive it to be more than a 3 out of 10 on your pain scale will most likely be causing more damage. If so then STOP!
- Increasing – if it begins to increase as you do what you’re doing is likely to be causing more damage. If so then STOP!
- Over 24 hours to recover – if it takes longer than 24 hours to recover from what you just did is likely to have caused more damage. If so then STOP!
Step 1 | Pass The RTR Tests
There are 2 simple, functional tests that you can use to establish if you’re safe to start running after injury without causing further problems. If you can do these 2 tests for 20-30 secs with zero or minimal pain then you can move on to step 2.
Running On The Spot Test
Hop Test
Step 2 | Tester Runs
Once you have passed step 1 you can begin a progressive return to running after injury programme using run | walk intervals. Firstly, trial a few simple tester runs to to get you going. Following the graph and instructions below:
- Run at a steady pace on a (relatively) flat route
- Approx 20mins max
- Ensuring a minimum of 24 hours rest/recovery time between runs. No consecutive days!
- Start with 1min walk | 1min run. Then 1min walk | 3mins run. Then 1mins walk | 5mins run.
- Once you have progressed to 5mins running with walk intervals you can trial a 20min run.

Only progress the running minutes up if your pain:
- Doesn’t exceed what is a mild awareness or 3/10 on your pain scale
- Doesn’t get any worse during your run
- Recovers well within 24 hours of the previous run
Step 3 | The ‘2 Green Light Run Rule‘
Once you are back in to running after injury for 20mins+ runs use the ‘2 Green Light Run Rule’ to help progress without causing any flare ups and reduce the risk of re-injury.

Essentially, once you have done 1 run well without pain, do it again a 2nd time before increasing your distance, speed, or difficulty of run.
Runner’s Hub @ the physios
Step 4 | Progression

Once you’re back to running 20mins+ consecutively on a flat-ish route then follow the next steps:
- Aim for 5-10km distance on a flat, easy route at an easy to steady pace
- As a general rule increase your long, steady run by 5mins or 1km week by week
- Only increase the distance of 1 of your runs in the week. Keep the others shorter
- You can use the 10% weekly rule to monitor the overall increase in your mileage
- Once you reach 5-10km distance then you can bring back the bigger hills and tempo/speed work
Our blog on the perfect running week will guide you to organise your own running plan. Plus, try out our 7 Series videos. A series of 7 minute workouts to help get you ready to runner, stronger & quicker.
For more useful information and tips on everything running related go to our Runners Hub section of the website.
Remember…
Running is Evolving. Keep up with the pace!