Running is a high-impact sport. It uses and tears our bodies, making our bones stronger and our muscles more resilient. While being injured isn’t inevitable, statistically you’re likely to suffer a running injury that requires time off from running if you run for years or decades.
The good news is that most injuries aren’t permanent. After an injury, you can run again. If you discipline yourself at rest during this period and avoid lengthening the recovery process, even eight weeks won’t feel very long. However, returning to running after an injury and four to eight weeks without running requires a phased approach.
Tips to Get Back to Running After an Injury
Keep Patience
It’s hard for runners to stay patient after an injury because they want to get back on track at the earliest. However, having an injury can significantly impact your running speed, and forcing your body to move during these conditions might worsen the problem. Therefore, it is recommended that you stay patient and give your body the rest it needs to function properly again.
Whilst doing this, you can look at getting some new gear for when you’re back on track. Before purchasing though, it’s always good to check if there are any discounts to apply to your cart, for instance, if you’re into apparel from Wiggle you can find a wiggle discount code online.
Gradual Increment
A gradual increment in your running and workouts is the key to getting back on track. Once you start feeling that your injury is healing, we recommend that you start your runs on a flat surface like a track.
When you are starting up, make sure you keep your runs slow so you don’t put any pressure on your body or the injury. Don’t run with speed or change your distance and terrain before you until you’ve done 4-6 consecutive runs without pain in your body or your injury.
Analyze Injury
Analyzing your Injury is essential when you want to make a healthy comeback. When you start running again, explore how your injury feels during your run and after 24 to 48 hours. Make sure you remember the following tips while you are running:
- If you start feeling pain on a higher level during your run, make sure you stop because it indicates that you’ve surpassed your running capacity. If you face a situation like this, you must stop running for a few days and try a more extended run when your body feels okay.
- If you feel pain again in your second run, then you must stop running and take some rest for a more extended period of time.
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Train your Body
Training your body can play a significant role in your running speed. When you start Strength Training by joining a home workout program, you should focus on getting strong in areas like your lower abs and glute. Doing this will help you to increase your muscle coordination and timing so you don’t get injured and wait again for your turn to run again.
Incorporate Compression Socks/Stockings
A study conducted back in 2016 showed that more than 65% of the people involved in the running experienced one significant injury in their lifetime.
Therefore, injury prevention becomes important, especially when you’re recovering from an existing injury, as it can ruin weeks of your healing.
Compression socks, including specialized plantar fasciitis socks tailored specifically for such conditions, can help you protect your joints, ligaments, and tendons while running. They can also help contain the vibration impact when your feet hit the ground while running, which is crucial for those with recovering ankles, Lymphedma, plantar fasciitis, and DVT blood clots as well. The benefits of copper compression socks can also help you to prevent bacterial or fungal infections caused by moisture from sweaty feet.
Compression socks also provide the luxury and comfort of regular everyday socks, making them practical in any situation. It also helps increase blood circulation, allowing more oxygen to reach working muscles and tissues for a faster muscle recovery.
Make a habit of using compression socks while you run, and you won’t need to worry about injuring yourself again.
Visit your Therapist
Your physical therapist can help you to prevent significant injuries, and they can also help you keep an eye on your current injury. Hence, it would help if you kept visiting your therapist frequently to avoid any problems with your body.
How Long Does it Take to Return to Running?
The duration of your time off gives you an idea of the rate at which you return to running. You can spend an equal amount of time rebuilding your mileage as you spent off running. Layoffs that last for several months usually take only a few months to build back up; however, it’s best to build back up slowly.
