Returning to running after time off

Getting back into running after a break is exciting, but it is also when a lot of runners can get re-injured. The single biggest mistake is trying to pick up where you left off. Your fitness may remember, but your tendons, bones and muscles need time to re-adapt.

Start below where you think you should

After time off, begin with less volume and intensity than feels necessary. A walk-run approach is a reliable way back: short jog intervals broken up by walking, gradually shifting towards continuous running over a few weeks.

Progress load gradually

Increase your running a little at a time and avoid big jumps in distance or pace from one week to the next. Load is not just distance — hills, speed work and back-to-back days all add up. Build one variable at a time.

Listen to the right signals

• Some general muscle soreness is normal; sharp or localised pain is not
• Pain that worsens during a run, or lingers into the next day, is a sign to ease back
• Niggles that keep returning are worth getting assessed early

Support the running with strength

Runners who include a little strength work - especially for the lower body and core - tend to tolerate load better and stay healthier.

Get ahead of recurring problems

If the same injury keeps stopping you, a running assessment can look at your technique and training load and help build a plan to get you back on the road and achieving your goals.

This article is general information and not a substitute for individual advice. Reviewed by the physiotherapy team at The Physio Studio.

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