Coming back after injury

Hi everyone. I'm finally recovering from some strange injury which was first diagnosed as plantar fascitus and then posterior tibia tendonotis but two ultra sound scans, one MRI, nerve conduction, two podiatrists and four physios later it appears that there is no damage to my tendons or anywhere else. My latest Physio finally appears to know what he is taking about and says my calves are overloaded and pulling at my tendons because my quads and glutes aren't working. I know this is becoming a bit of a standard line amongst physios but the exercises he has given me do seem to be working. The good news is that I now feel that I am ready to attempt running again! I developed this injury last February and didn't run until August when i began really slowly and gradually built up to 6/7 miles but eventually had to stop again. I have tried running once since Christmas but kept a bit of fitness at the gym. My question is, how should I start my 'come back'? The Physio says I am fine to begin on three or four miles providing I don't try any hills for a few weeks. I'm giddy at the prospect of running again and making it back in time for the spring and summer runs but clearly don't want to rush things. Has anybody experience of being out for so long and making a sensible come back - hopefully so that I can get out with my friends at some point this season! Any advice would be very gratefully appreciated! Thanks, Beth

Three or four miles! to start with!

Is he short of business?

Start the way I do, by jogging up and down the hallway at home.

I've been out for 3 months with a calf strain (and strained popliteus) with no immendiate prospect of a return to serious distance running. I've been using a treadmill to rebuild calf strength, get my heart rate up and it's also keeping me sane. There are plently of bargains on ebay!   

I've been out 11 months and still am not back to proper training. I think the key is not to rush it, as it only sets you back in the long run. I started with a sensible walk-run schedule but then tried to progress to proper long runs too quickly, before painfully accepting that it wasn't possible.

Maybe try run/walking at first and see how you get on, and then work up to some regular two-three mile runs. I think the key is not so much listening to your body during the run (although you obviously should) but seeing how you recover afterwards, especially as the cumulative training takes its toll.

Stick with the x-training to maintain your aerobic fitness and try and stay positive. There are lots of stories here of people who have come back after serious lay offs.

I had plantar facsiitis(Nov 2011) for almost a year and stopped running. Although I had not fully recovered and still had some pain my GP advised that I start running again. In October 2012 I started training again. I ran on soft surfaces around our local park. To start with I ran just a mile at a time in the first week every second day then increased this in the following week. By week three I was I was running on roads and had increased my weekly mileage to about 12 miles. I am now running about 30 miles a week and hope to do the London Marathon. I still get some pain after running but nothing I cant cope with. Today I ran twenty miles slowly. I am 67 so I also have age against me. Let your body tell you whats right and build up gradually. Good luck.

I was out for about 18 or 19 weeks following an ankle injury last October. I started back a few weeks ago, but started slowly on the treadmill just doing a km or 2.

After I'd done this a few times I gradually built up the distance to around 10km and then started running outdoors with my club. I'm now back at HM distances and my last run (Monday) was pretty much back at my normal training pace.

Just take it slowly, don't be too pressured to hit a certain pace or distance and listen to your body. If anything feels wrong. STOP.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm currently up to 3 miles on the flat (or treadmill in this weather) and am good so far. Fingers crossed!