One of the hardest things for runners is being told to stop running.
I see it all the time in clinic. People come in frustrated because running is the one thing that helps them clear their head, manage stress, stay fit, or simply feel like themselves again. When injury takes that away, it can affect far more than just fitness.
As both a physio and a runner myself, I understand how difficult that process can be. Runners are often very good at pushing through discomfort, convincing themselves they will feel better after one more run, or trying to get back too quickly because they miss the routine so much. I have been there myself, which is why I understand how mentally challenging injuries can be alongside the physical side of recovery.
Over the years working with runners and sporting athletes, one thing I have learnt is that returning to running is rarely just about waiting for pain to settle. It is about rebuilding confidence in your body again.
A lot of runners make the mistake of either pushing back too quickly because they are feeling better, or avoiding running completely because they are worried they will flare things up again. Usually the best results happen somewhere in the middle.
One of the biggest conversations I have with patients is around load. Just because pain has reduced does not always mean the body is ready for the same distance, speed, or frequency as before. The tissues still need time to build tolerance again.
I often explain it to patients like this. Your body does not only need to heal, it needs to adapt.
One of the biggest things I work on with runners is helping them understand how to manage load and flare ups properly.
A flare up does not always mean you have caused damage or gone backwards. Quite often it is your body telling you that the current load is slightly more than it can tolerate right now. That could be from increasing distance too quickly, adding speed work too early, running too frequently, or simply not recovering well between sessions.
As runners, we can sometimes panic when pain returns and either stop everything completely or push through and ignore it. Usually neither approach works well long term.
What I encourage patients to do instead is learn how to adjust. Sometimes that means reducing distance for a week, slowing the pace down, adding an extra recovery day, or temporarily modifying gym sessions. Small adjustments early often prevent bigger setbacks later.
This is where I think the balance between running, rehab, and gym work becomes really important.
A lot of runners only focus on the running itself, but strength training plays a huge role in keeping the body resilient. During rehab, I often focus on calf strength, hip control, single leg stability, and overall lower limb capacity. Simple exercises like calf raises, glute bridges, step ups, and single leg balance work can make a significant difference over time.
The goal is not to completely avoid discomfort. The goal is to gradually build your body's tolerance to load again in a controlled way.
Sometimes that means pulling back slightly on running while building strength in the gym. Other times it means progressing running slowly while maintaining rehab exercises alongside it. It is rarely an all or nothing approach.
I also think runners need reassurance that recovery is not always perfectly linear. Small flare ups can happen during rehab and it does not always mean damage or that you are back to square one. Often it is simply feedback that the body needs a slight adjustment in load or recovery.
One thing I genuinely enjoy as a physio is seeing someone regain confidence in movement again. Not just getting them pain free, but getting them back to doing what they enjoy without fear.
If you are working back from a running injury and would like a plan built around where you are now rather than where you were, book a running assessment.
Reduced pain on its own is not the signal. Just because pain has settled does not always mean the body is ready for the same distance, speed or frequency as before, because the tissues still need time to build tolerance. Your body does not only need to heal, it needs to adapt.
Usually not. A flare up does not always mean you have caused damage or gone backwards. Quite often it is your body telling you that the current load is slightly more than it can tolerate right now, whether that is from increasing distance too quickly, adding speed work too early, running too frequently, or simply not recovering well between sessions.
Adjust rather than panic. That might mean reducing distance for a week, slowing the pace down, adding an extra recovery day, or temporarily modifying your gym sessions. Small adjustments early often prevent bigger setbacks later, and stopping everything completely rarely works well long term.
Increase only one thing at a time, either distance, speed or frequency, and monitor how you respond over the following 24 hours rather than only during the run itself. Keep your easy runs genuinely easy.
Yes. Strength training plays a huge role in keeping the body resilient, and it is worth continuing even once symptoms improve. In rehab I usually focus on calf strength, hip control, single leg stability and overall lower limb capacity, with exercises as simple as calf raises, glute bridges, step ups and single leg balance work.
The goal is not to completely avoid discomfort. It is to gradually build your body's tolerance to load again in a controlled way, and recovery will not always be perfectly linear along the way.
Running injuries can be incredibly frustrating, but they also force you to slow down and listen to your body in a way most runners are not used to.
The goal is not just to get back to running as quickly as possible. The goal is to return stronger, more aware of your body, and confident that it can handle the demands of running again.
Some of the best return to running journeys I have seen were not the fastest. They were the ones where people rebuilt properly, trusted the process, and gave their body the time it needed to adapt.
Because staying healthy enough to keep running long term will always matter more than rushing back for one good week.
You can book an assessment at our Elsternwick clinic if you would like help planning your return to running.
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