Returning to exercise post injury- how the mind can trick you....

🏃‍♀️ Running Again After Injury — Rebuilding Confidence in Your Body and Mind

One of our patients recently recovered from a calf strain and was determined to complete their half marathon. Physically, the calf was ready — but mentally, every step felt like it could trigger the old injury. This is a common experience: the body may be healed, but the mind is still scanning for pain, which can make running stressful and tense.

To help rebuild confidence and make running enjoyable again, we combined mental and physical strategies.

Top 5 Tips for Returning to Running After Injury

1. Run with Friends or a Supportive Group
Running with others provides reassurance, helps with pacing, and creates a positive, motivating environment. Social support shifts your focus from worrying about the old injury to simply enjoying the run.

2. Use Music or Podcasts
Distractions like music or podcasts help redirect your attention from discomfort. They can also improve rhythm, motivation, and overall enjoyment — making runs feel easier and more positive.

3. Gradual Exposure and Pace Management
Start slightly slower than your usual pace or mentally break the run into smaller sections. This allows your nervous system to relearn that running is safe, helping you distinguish normal muscle sensations from warning signs.

4. Check Your Technique and Body Awareness
Focus on stride, foot placement, and muscle activation. Paying attention to how your body moves empowers you to respond intelligently to sensations rather than reacting out of fear.

5. Trust Your Body and Track Progress
Not every twinge means injury. Keep a simple log of pain-free sessions, acknowledge improvements, and gradually increase intensity. Positive reinforcement builds confidence and reduces overcaution.

By combining these strategies with a structured training plan, our patient was able to finish their half marathon confidently, enjoy the experience, and protect their calf from re-injury.

💡 Tip: Returning from injury isn’t just about muscles and tendons — your mind needs guidance too. Research shows that athletes who feel confident and mentally ready are more likely to return to their sport successfully (Ardern et al., 2013). Positive experiences, gradual exposure, and strategies like running with friends or using music can make a big difference in regaining confidence.

💬 If you’re ready to get back into your activity, we can help design a safe, confident return plan — tailored to you.

👉 Book a return-to-activity session →

References ):

Ardern, C.L., Taylor, N.F., Feller, J.A., & Webster, K.E. (2013). A systematic review of the psychological factors associated with returning to sport following injury. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(17), 1120–1126.

Glazer, D.D. (2017). Psychological readiness to return to sport is associated with second injury risk after ACL reconstruction. Sports Health, 9(3), 211–218.