With Coach Kelvin, offering Online Running Coaching for We Run and the We Run Virtual Running Club, and 1:1 Running Coach for Leeds and surrounding areas.
Understanding the Injury Cycle
Hi folks, it’s Kelvin here. We run Coach for Leeds and surrounding areas, as well as offering online coaching. In this video, I’m going to talk about injury cycles and why so many runners get it wrong.
It’s worth considering that runners who get injured and manage their injuries well often progress further than those who never face injury. Injuries aren’t necessarily a bad thing. They don’t mean you’re weak – they just mean the load applied has outweighed your current capacity to deal with it.
Sometimes, revealing these weaknesses and building strength around that area allows us to push further in the future and get more out of our training.
A Runner’s Injury Timeline
Let’s look at a typical example. A runner puts in a big training block and ends up pulling or tearing a calf muscle. They contact a physiotherapist, who confirms the injury isn’t too serious. The physio prescribes light exercises, a reduced training load, perhaps a week off running, and some gentle mobility work, like using stretchy bands.
After four weeks, the runner feels better. They’ve been doing the band work and increasing their load gradually. They contact the physio again, who advises another session focused on building strength around the injured area.
Building Strength and Capacity
In this next phase, the physio introduces two to three strength sessions per week to develop more capacity in that area. The load is still relatively low, especially if the runner is new to strength training. Over time, they might add light hills and increase running volume.
Four weeks later, the runner is improving steadily. The physio increases the load on the strength work, maybe introducing plyometrics or steeper hill running. After another training block, the runner is discharged. They’re now stronger, applying more load than before, and training without issues.
Where Most Runners Go Wrong
Here’s the problem – most runners only complete the first stage of that rehab process. They do the light exercises, reduce their training, and feel better after a few weeks. Then, instead of going back for progression, they stick with the same light band work and ramp up their running load again.
Without continuing to build strength around the injured area, they reach the same point that caused the injury in the first place and end up hurt again.
The Role of Physiotherapists
One way I like to frame physiotherapists for my runners is as strength and conditioning coaches. Once an injury has settled and running volume is reintroduced, the goal should be to make that area stronger than it was before.
That’s how you break the injury cycle for good.
I hope that makes sense. If you’ve got any questions, please pop them in the comments below. And for now, happy running!
