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running after injury
Having to stay off your feet because of a running injury can be extremely frustrating. Trying to get back into the running game and return to running is often difficult as well. Many of us have expectations for ourselves and our athletic state that are unrealistic. Others return from an injury and push themselves too much, too soon. Doing this often results in the return of the injury. Below are some tips on how to get back on your feet and safely return to running after injury.
Running After Injury
Cross-train
Many enjoy the sport of running because of the cardiovascular health benefits it brings. Getting that heart pumping, the rhythmic breathing, and steady-paced jog are a few aspects that runners enjoy. Getting into a comfortable groove in running after an injury takes time. But even those initial jogs do fall short a few steps of where you want to be, you can still get in a great cardio workout. You just have to get it elsewhere. Integrating workouts in swimming, biking, or using the elliptical machine are great ways to get in cardio training when you can’t run the distance. Cross-training will help keep your lungs in shape and give you better endurance for running after an injury.
Also read: How To Reduce Knee Pain When Running
Interval training
Venturing out on that first run following an injury is often an awkward experience. Even though you can mentally envision yourself running, your body might feel out-of-sync. You might even feel like you have two left feet. And trying to get your body readjusted to the rhythm of running can be quite a challenge in itself. An easy way to start out is by doing interval training.
If you have been off your feet quite a while, this might mean doing longer periods of walking at the start. Within a five-minute period, you might want to walk four minutes and then run for only one. Repeating this pattern over and over is a way to back in shape without overdoing it. After being able to accomplish this interval without causing injury, then slowly increase the running time and decrease the walking time. For some this can take a few weeks, for others a few months. The important thing is to not re-injure yourself!
Stretch
Too often, runners don’t take the time to stretch. While it’s always beneficial to stretch, this is especially important to do when trying to return to running after an injury. Stretching should be done before and after running. Don’t rush through stretching; take your time and focus on it. If you are unsure of what exercises are best, it may be worthwhile to seek out the assistance of a professional in sports medicine.
Also read: Why Swimming Is Important
Be Patient
Most running injuries don’t happen overnight, so you shouldn’t expect to be able return to evenly-paced running right away either. It can be helpful to keep a journal or log of your jogs as you return to running. This way you can make adjustments depending on the severity of your injury, but hopefully see growth. It may take some time and baby steps to get where you need to be. But the important thing is to be patient so you can remain injury-free!
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