Lets talk getting back to running!
Runners are known for having pains and niggles that unfortunately often turn into an injury if not addressed early on.
Depending on a severity of an injury there will be variable timeframes of time-off-running and how long it would take you to get back to previous level of running.
So how long will it actually take?
That’s the most frequently asked question. It may vary from 1 week post mild ankle sprain to up to 6-8 month post achilles rupture. All depends how diligent you are with your rehab and load progression.
What is important to consider when getting back to running?
Let’s break down running on few different components and talk about them separately.
For a runner to be able to enjoy their hobby to the full the body needs to be efficient in absorbing the ground reaction force. Muscles need to be strong and extensible to absorb the load every time foot hits the ground to avoid overloading your joints.
Our calf muscles give us a lot of that springiness during the run hence calf raises are so often included into your rehab program! There are multiple levels and progressions for your calf raises. Starting from static holds finishing with quick plyometric hopping on one foot.
Another important element of injury prevention is making sure your balance/proprioception (especially in foot and ankle) is on point. Proprioception is knowing where your body is in space and is essential for us to produce smooth controlled movement. Our foot is the first point of contact with the ground so by having the correct foot position our muscles work in a more efficient way and take longer to fatigue. Progressive neuromuscular balance exercises may involve single leg stand plus other exercises involving foam pads, bosu ball or a balance board.
Do not forget to maintain your cardiovascular fitness while resting from running. This can be achieved by means of rowing machine, swimming, biking, upper body HIIT workout or an intense pilates class that will get you sweaty and bring your heart rate up!
A safe and easy way to return to running is commencing a walk to run program. It involves intervals of walking and running with different length and speed of each interval. There are few different variations out there so whenever your physio thinks it is safe to start reintroducing running you can decide which one works best for you.
Let’s not forget about our core! Strong core stabilizes the torso, helps us to keep out body upright and absorb ground and rotational forces protecting the spine. A thorough core workout routine can be maintained while recovering from any injury.
Other things that are wise to include into your fitness routine are proper warm up, cool down stretching and foam rolling.
