Forums >General Running>Building back up after an injury?
I've been struggling with a groin injury for more than a month now--I tried running on it for a week after I thought it was nearly better, and I ended up hurting myself worse. So, now I'm seeing a physical therapist twice a week and getting ART and electric stimulation and all that jazz to help heal it. It stinks because I'm in the middle of winter track, and I'm missing out on training. In four weeks, I've only run about six times, and now I'm going on at LEAST another full week with no running in addition to that. I had previously been running 20-25 mpw, or, 4-5 miles per day, 5-6 days per week. Let's say that I'm out for 5-6 weeks with minimal running--how long will it take me to get back to where I was when I can finally run again? How do I go about doing so without re-injuring myself? Also, after I build back up to where I was, how should I go about adding more miles? I'd like to eventually build up to at least 40 mpw.
I've gone on the stationary bicycle a couple of times, but I don't have a gym membership, so I can only go if I have someone to take me a guest to the gym. And besides, my PT says it's best not to do the stationary bike, because it still engages the groin muscles. He gave me some exercises to do twice a day; they're supposed to strengthen my core. Besides those exercises, is there anything I can do to keep my fitness up so that I'm not totally out of shape when I am finally able to get back to track and running? Anything that won't require the use of a machine?
My advice is to talk to your PT about it. Do you have a coach?
Your PT will know your situation and probably have better recommendations than people on the internet who don't know you as well. You definitely don't want to slow or reverse your recovery.
an amazing likeness
What I think is the best way to approach this is to drop any thoughts/plans or focus on miles per week, miles per run, pace or whatever. When you're ready to start back...use time as our goal. 30 minutes a day, 60 minutes, or whatever. Jog some, walk some, skip along some, stroll some -- whatever it takes to have no pain or re-injury. As soon as it hurts, STOP jogging, do NOT run through it.
Change you goal from 'run x miles' to '30 minutes of whatever mix of walk/run works today'.
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.
BexKix, Bagel Defender
I've been struggling with a groin injury for more than a month now--I tried running on it for a week after I thought it was nearly better, and I ended up hurting myself worse. So, now I'm seeing a physical therapist twice a week and getting ART and electric stimulation and all that jazz to help heal it. It stinks because I'm in the middle of winter track, and I'm missing out on training. In four weeks, I've only run about six times, and now I'm going on at LEAST another full week with no running in addition to that. I had previously been running 20-25 mpw, or, 4-5 miles per day, 5-6 days per week. Let's say that I'm out for 5-6 weeks with minimal running--how long will it take me to get back to where I was when I can finally run again? How do I go about doing so without re-injuring myself? Also, after I build back up to where I was, how should I go about adding more miles? I'd like to eventually build up to at least 40 mpw. I've gone on the stationary bicycle a couple of times, but I don't have a gym membership, so I can only go if I have someone to take me a guest to the gym. And besides, my PT says it's best not to do the stationary bike, because it still engages the groin muscles. He gave me some exercises to do twice a day; they're supposed to strengthen my core. Besides those exercises, is there anything I can do to keep my fitness up so that I'm not totally out of shape when I am finally able to get back to track and running? Anything that won't require the use of a machine?
Do you have access to a pool? Do whatever mode of exercise your PT will allow - swimming, upper body weights, pushups, whatever you can do. Even if it's not running-specific, do what you can.
Your PT will release you when you're ready, and you'll need to start back slowly to make sure you don't re-injure yourself. Sucks, I just got released in May from a pelvic floor issue. (I suppose that's groin "ish".) I had 11-17 months off depending on how you slice it. Personally, things bounced back pretty quickly. I was 15~20mpw before being sidelined, and did little to no XT because I was too busy pouting about being on the DL. (Just trying to be honest, here.) I'm self-trained and it sounds like you've got a staff supporting you, so things should come back quickly for you. For me, 3-4 months later I was pretty much back to speed, and wasn't as fast as it could have been. I'm not back up to mileage, will be in a week or two. That's more of "real life" getting in the way than anything else. Bottom line, for me it came back a lot more quickly than I thought it would. I thought I would be starting from scratch again. If you're talking a couple of months off, you'll lose some, but maybe not as much as you fear.
Part of a PT's job is to get you back without re-injury. You'll want to stay on top of whatever exercises they leave you with. Twice a day is pretty aggressive - stay on top of that. I've been able to get away with slacking them off for a couple of months, but I've started "PT maintenance" back up with base building and boy have things weakened. As you build mileage back up you don't want the old weakness/imbalance biting you in the butt again. It's PITA but if you can make it a GetInGetOutGetDone type of business, you'll be stronger and less injury prone for it.
If you own a copy of Jack Daniels' running formula, he has a table for time off, and how to build back. You aren't going to be able to place a hard formula on coming back from injury, but it will give you a ball pack idea.
Refurbished Hip
Just curious about work sort of exercises your PT is having you do?
Please be careful building back up. I did it too quickly earlier this summer and re-injured my groin.
Running is dumb.
rectumdamnnearkilledem
I feel for ya', sat. I just got back from an ortho appt that I expected to end with a short arm cast and waterproof liner so that I could run, recumbent stationary bike, and shower without covering. Instead I have a full-arm cast and I can't do anything until after 1/1 when I will *maybe* get a short arm cast and the go-ahead to return to activity. It sucks and I expect that I will be starting from scratch in another month+.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
Pace Prophet
Pete Pfitzinger has a 'return to running' program on his website (http://www.pfitzinger.com/labreports/stressfracture.shtml) which I used after being out for several months with a stress fracture. I think the key is to keep your pace easy and build slowly from zero (5-8% max increase per week) until you are comfortably running about half your previous volume; then you can ramp up a bit faster.
When you are trying to increase your running volume past what you've done before, again, drop down to the 5-8% weekly increase.
I had a 'groin' injury - was finally diagnosed as sprained adductor tendon (?) a couple years ago. Same as most, I didn't think it was much, then it got progressively worse and worse - but wasn't reaaally that bad - I had a 10min ½ marathon PB in the middle of it, raced a 1500, etc, etc....
What I could do without hurting gradually got less and less before I went to the PT. Heshut me down completely for running, did a lot of brisk walking on a treadmill at crazy inclines - Not all treadmills could do it. It got better when I stopped hurting it. If the PT says not to do it, don't.
I took so long before I got into PT that I was dealing with it for almost a year before I was running again with no restriction. Take care of it properly so you can get back to training as you want after it heals.