Has this ever been you when you're trying to convince someone that you are ready to start running again after an injury?
Hey, we’ve all been there. Runner or not, I think most people can relate to the feeling of not being sure whether you’re ready to push yourself physically. I wish there was an easy, simple way to determine when you are ready to run, but unfortunately it can be a little complicated to assess by yourself.
How We Do It At Alterra
Running is a skill that involves lower body strength and endurance, hopping, coordination, and core strength. At Alterra, we do thorough examinations of my patients to try to predict their risk of sustaining an injury while running which includes the following:
Interview about injury history
Functional movement assessments
Mobility and strength testing
Data collection about other lifestyle factors like stress and diet that may have an impact on injury risk
Treadmill running gait assessment using runeasi which gives us even more objective data about how someone is tolerating the forces of running.
During this evaluation, we are working on answering some of these questions:
What type of structure is involved (muscle, tendon, bone, joint)?
What in your injury or medical history could be contributing to this problem?
Can you complete the functional movement components of running in isolation?
Do you have the baseline mobility and strength to be able to run with efficient mechanics?
As we go, we create a problems list that we can refer to when creating a systematic plan to get you back to running safely. We’ve learned which questions are important to ask and which factors to pay attention to based on years of experience.
Where To Start
If you’re not ready to get professional help but you want some more objective information to help you decide if you’re ready to run, the Running Readiness Scale (RRS) is a decent place to start.
The RRS is a functional assessment that was created to help assess risk for someone returning to running based on their performance of 6 movements for 1 minute. The subject is then awarded 1 point per movement that they complete as instructed with good form. Keep in mind that this test does not have research to show that it is an effective injury risk predictor on its own. (1,2)
*NOTE* I have modified the hopping portion from double leg to single leg, because it is easier to see asymmetries this way.
While the movements on this test are good functional assessments, it’s unclear whether your score on this test tells us anything about your risk of sustaining a running related injury. So what’s the point of doing the test in the first place?
Because it’s better than just going for it and hoping for the best!
If you scored less than </= 3/6 or have pain with ANY of these movements, it’s time to see an expert before you start running.
Are You Ready To Run?
Ultimately, determining your readiness to run is not as simple as performing one test, especially if you are returning to running after an injury. Additionally, determining whether your ready is just step one. How do you chose how much to start running? How fast? How often? The option with the best chance of success is to work with an expert to help you get back on track safely so that you can enjoy your runs to the fullest!
At Alterra, we specialize in helping runners resolve any and all of their injuries that limit their running ability or performance. If you're local to Boston's Back Bay area and are trying to get back to running without injury, we'd love to help! Book a free discovery call to chat with a therapist today.
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. As mentioned above, passing the Running Readiness Scale does eliminate your risk of developing a running related injury.
Sources
Kathryn Harrison, D.S. Blaise Williams, Benjamin J. Darter, Adam Sima, Ron Zernicke, Mary Shall, Sheryl Finucane; The Running Readiness Scale as an Assessment of Kinematics Related to Knee Injury in Novice Female Runners. J Athl Train 1 February 2023; 58 (2): 120–127. doi: https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-404-21
Payne, Shelley S. Dr.; D'Errico, Jenna; and Williams, D. S. Blaise (2019) "An Examination of Step Frequency and the Running Readiness Scale as Predictors of Running-Related Injury in Collegiate Cross-Country Athletes," Journal of Sports Medicine and Allied Health Sciences: Official Journal of the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association: Vol. 5 : Iss. 2 , Article 4. DOI: 10.25035/jsmahs.05.02.04
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