When Are You Ready to Run?
At Peak Health Physiotherapy we see lots of people with running injuries, or people who need to return to running for their sport.
And getting back to it can be tricky to navigate.
Do too much too soon, and you risk flaring things up again.
Hold back too much, and you lose confidence in your body.
The key to a successful return is a structured, gradual approach that allows your tissues to rebuild tolerance to impact.
We work with many runners in this exact situation.
Here’s how to return safely while reducing the risk of re-injury.
Is Your Pain Under Control?
Before running, it’s important to assess whether your pain is under control.
This means being comfortable walking and going about daily life without your pain interrupting those tasks.
If pain or discomfort is still an issue, consider revisiting your rehabilitation program before progressing to running.
Your body should be pain-free and able to handle low-impact activities before moving to higher-impact exercises like running.
Can You Walk?
Your body needs to be comfortable with pain-free walking before you can start running.
If you’re not yet able to walk briskly for 30-45 minutes without discomfort, it’s a sign that you need to continue building up tolerance to lower-impact activities.
Once walking feels comfortable, you’ll be better prepared for the next stages of rehabilitation.
Are You Strong Enough?
Have you hit your return-to-running strength and capacity measures?
Running is essentially a series of single-leg hops, so your single-leg strength and control are essential for a successful return.
These are some simple tests we can use in clinic to assess whether you’re ready:
- Single-leg calf raises – Can you complete 25 reps on each side with control?
- Single-leg sit-to-stand – Can you stand up from a chair using just one leg for 20 reps without pushing off with your hands, with good control?
- Single Leg Bridge – Can you complete 25 reps on each side with good control?
- Single Leg Bridge + Heel Raise – Can hold this position for 60 seconds?
- Core Strength – Can you hold a plank and side plank for 60 seconds?
If any of these feel difficult, you may need some additional strength work before starting a return-to-run programme.
Have You Completed a Landing Programme to Prepare Yourself for the Higher Forces of Running?
Before you start running, it’s important to prepare your body for the higher forces involved.
Completing a landing programme can help improve your ability to absorb impact and reduce the risk of injury when you begin running.
This programme should focus on improving the control and strength needed to handle the forces involved in running.
We make sure that someone can tolerate 20 Single Leg hops before clearing them to return to run.
Start with a Structured Run-Walk Approach
Jumping straight back into steady running is where most people go wrong.
Instead, a structured run-walk programme helps your body adapt to impact without overload. Here’s an example of a Week 1 routine:
- Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes (repeat x6-8 rounds)
- Keep total session time to 20-30 minutes
- Stick to a comfortable, conversational pace
If this feels good and symptoms stay settled, you can gradually increase the running time while keeping short walking recoveries.
Monitor Your Body’s Response
The real measure of success is how your body feels, not how fast your watch or app says you’re progressing.
Some mild discomfort during or after a run is okay, but watch out for these warning signs:
- Pain worsening during a run
- Increased soreness lasting more than 24 hours
- Feeling stiff or restricted the next morning
If any of these happen, scale back your running volume and allow for extra recovery before progressing.
Continue to Build Strength and Control to Prevent Re-Injury
A common mistake runners make is focusing only on running and neglecting strength work.
A well-balanced return-to-running plan should include two strength sessions per week, targeting key muscle groups involved in running efficiency and injury prevention.
Some exercises include:
- Calves – Calf raises (bent and straight knee) – 3 x 15 reps
- Glutes – Single-leg bridges & Bulgarian split squats – 3 x 8-10 reps per leg
- Hamstrings – Hamstring curls and Romanian Deadlifts – 3 x 8-10 reps
- Quads – Squats and knee extensions – 3 x 8-10 reps
- Core & Stability – Side planks & single-leg deadlifts – 2 x 60 sec per side
Gradually Build Back to Normal Running
After 3-4 weeks of structured run-walking, you should be able to run continuously for 15-20 minutes at an easy pace. From here, you can:
- Increase run duration by 5-10 minutes per week
- Add 1-2 short runs per week before increasing intensity
- Only reintroduce speed, hills, or long distances once you’ve comfortably run for 30-40 minutes pain-free
Final Thoughts – Be Patient, Trust the Process
Rushing your return rarely ends well.
By gradually increasing load, listening to your body, and integrating strength work, you’ll not only get back to running sooner but also stay running for longer.
If you need help structuring your return, book a session at Peak Health Physiotherapy—we’ll create a personalised plan to get you back on track the right way.
If you want to help with anything injury related then feel free to Book In and we can get you on the journey to becoming pain free again.
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