Return to run
Come back from injury without re-injuring
Most re-injuries happen in the first 6 weeks back. The single biggest cause is ramping volume too fast — ignoring the ACWR safe zone of 0.8–1.3. Pick your injury for an evidence-based return plan, or use the calculator below for a generic safe ramp.
Stress fracture
Bone needs to remodel. Walking → walk-run → easy run progression with pain-free criteria at each stage. The most unforgiving running injury for athletes who rush.
Runner's knee (patellofemoral pain)
Most common running injury. Usually no full layoff needed — load reduction plus quad and glute medius strength. Return-to-run criteria: pain-free walking + squat.
Plantar fasciitis
Foot heel pain, worst in the morning. Eccentric calf raises, plantar fascia stretching, supportive shoes. Most don't need full layoff — pain-monitored running can continue.
IT band syndrome
Sharp pain on the outside of the knee, worst on downhills. Stop running until pain-free, then return. Glute medius strength is the long-term fix.
ACWR safe-return calculator
If you don't know your injury or you're returning from a non-specific layoff (illness, travel, life), this is the generic safe ramp. It respects the ACWR ≤ 1.3 ceiling and ramps 10% per week.
Weer gaan hardlopen na een periode zonder training is het moment waarop atleten het vaakst opnieuw geblesseerd raken. Het ACWR-model (acute:chronische belastingsverhouding) houdt je weekbelasting onder de blessuregrens van 1,3. Vul je gegevens in — wij maken een voorzichtige opbouw van 8 weken.
Wat je per week liep voordat je stopte.
Inclusief de week waarin je stopte. 0 als je deze week hebt gelopen.
Jouw terugkeerschema van 8 weken
Loop alleen op rustig tempo. Elke loop begint en eindigt met 5 minuten wandelen. Neemt de pijn toe tijdens of na een loop, herhaal dan de vorige week — ga niet verder.
| Week | Totaal km | Per loop | Notities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 km | 2 km/loop | Afwisselend wandelen en lopen; heel voorzichtig. |
| 2 | 9 km | 2 km/loop | Afwisselend wandelen en lopen; heel voorzichtig. |
| 3 | 10 km | 2 km/loop | Aaneengesloten rustig lopen. |
| 4 | 11 km | 3 km/loop | Aaneengesloten rustig lopen. |
| 5 | 12 km | 3 km/loop | Je nadert je belasting van vóór de blessure. |
| 6 | 13 km | 3 km/loop | Je nadert je belasting van vóór de blessure. |
| 7 | 14 km | 4 km/loop | Je nadert je belasting van vóór de blessure. |
| 8 | 16 km | 4 km/loop | Je nadert je belasting van vóór de blessure. |
Dit schema respecteert het plafond van ACWR ≤ 1,3. Bouw je sneller op, dan verdubbelt in de gepubliceerde literatuur het risico dat de blessure terugkomt.
Related tools and reading
Want your return ramp adjusted to your real data?
SportPlan reads your HRV and prior load history — and adjusts the ramp when you're not recovering as expected. See your first week before you pay. €9.99/month, cancel anytime.
Educational content based on peer-reviewed sports-medicine literature. Not a substitute for in-person evaluation by a sports physician or physiotherapist. If pain persists, worsens, or shows red flags, seek professional care.
Methodology designed by Ramon Curto, MSc Exercise Physiology
Ramon Curto designed SportPlan's endurance-training methodology from exercise-physiology principles. SportPlan applies it autonomously to the information you enter and the data you choose to connect; it is not ongoing one-to-one coaching or medical care.
Last revised July 2026
- MSc Exercise Physiology
- Endurance-training methodology
- Connected training-data analysis
- Block periodization · Polarized training