# Coming back after an injury > Come back when your movement, strength and function have returned, not just when a set time has passed. Then build up slowly from a level that doesn't make your pain worse. A physiotherapist or doctor can help you plan the steps and the timing. - Type: Guide - Topic: Habits & Motivation › Coming Back After a Break - Status: test content, not reviewed yet - URL: https://twikka.com/learn/coming-back-after-an-injury - Updated: 2026-10-21 - **Go by how your body is working, not the calendar.** Once you have regained movement, strength and function, you can slowly build back towards your previous level [1]. - **Confidence is part of being ready.** Fear of hurting yourself again affects decisions about returning, so it's worth saying out loud [2]. - **Start small and build slowly.** The WHO advises beginning with small amounts and gradually increasing how often, how hard and how long you're active [3]. - **A physiotherapist can help you plan.** They assess you, agree a plan and follow up so it can change as you improve [4]. ## How do you know you're ready to return after an injury? You're ready when your movement, strength and function have come back, not simply when a certain number of weeks has passed [1]. Fixed time-based plans were found to be of limited reliability for judging readiness, and people vary a lot [2]. Healed tissue doesn't always mean full recovery. Strength, body control, stamina and confidence can lag behind, and many people return at a lower level than before [2]. That is a normal stage. Being active at a lower level is part of the path back, but doing some activity doesn't automatically mean you're ready for full activity [5]. Pain is a rough guide. A temporary rise in pain when you return to normal activities is described as normal, and it usually settles within a few days [1]. Advice written for young people treats pain under three out of ten as acceptable and four as borderline. Anything higher means you're overdoing it, so stop and rest [6]. Treat those numbers as a rough guide rather than a rule for everyone. The decision about when to return is best shared between you and the people helping you, using their expertise, the research and your own preferences [5]. - **Start at a level that doesn't make your pain worse.** - **Accept doing a little less than before** as a normal step on the way back. - **Mention any worry about re-injury** to your doctor or physiotherapist. Confidence is a real part of being ready [2]. ## How gradually should you come back? Slowly, and in small steps. The WHO advises anyone not meeting the activity recommendations to start with small amounts and gradually increase how often, how hard and how long they're active. Some activity is better than none [3]. Start at a level you can repeat each week without making your pain worse, either during the activity or within 24 hours afterwards. Activities you can easily control, such as cycling or swimming, can suit this stage [6]. Rehabilitation usually moves in stages: gentle movement first, then strengthening and balance work, then activities that gradually match what you want to do [8]. When you add more, change one thing at a time. Advice for runners is to do a similar session three or four times before increasing pace or distance [7]. Advice for young people returning to sport suggests small weekly increases of roughly 10% of your overall activity, and at least two rest days a week [6]. Treat any figure or timeframe as a guide, not a fixed rule [2]. If soreness is a bit worse the next day, ease off. If pain keeps increasing, reduce what you're doing or stop. If you develop new symptoms as you build up, see a doctor or physiotherapist. Keep doing any rehabilitation exercises until your physiotherapist or doctor says you can stop, even if you feel ready. > **Try this:** Pick one activity you can easily control, such as cycling or swimming. Do the same session a few times this week before making it longer or harder [7]. ## Who can help plan a return after injury? A physiotherapist is the most useful person to ask, and your doctor can also help or refer you on. Physiotherapy uses movement and exercise, education, advice and hands-on treatment tailored to your needs to restore movement and function after an injury [9]. At a first appointment, the physiotherapist asks about your symptoms, medical history and lifestyle. They may also feel the affected area and check things like your strength and balance [4]. They then agree a plan with you, which may include advice and exercise. Follow-up appointments let them check progress and change the plan [9]. In many areas of the UK you can refer yourself to NHS community musculoskeletal services, such as physiotherapy, without a referral from a doctor [10]. A Health New Zealand page also says you can see a physiotherapist without a referral [11]. Rules differ by country, so check whether you can book directly where you live. - **Go ready to talk** about your symptoms, medical history and daily routine [4]. - **Ask for a plan you can follow at home,** and book follow-up visits so it can be adjusted [9]. - **If you live with a disability,** a healthcare professional or a physical activity and disability specialist can help you decide the type and amount of activity that suits you [3]. ## When to check with a health professional If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first. For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio. If an injury hasn't improved within a few days of self-care, see a healthcare provider. See a doctor or physiotherapist if pain is getting worse after 2 weeks, or if you're not back to normal after 6 weeks [11][1]. See a doctor straight away for severe knee pain or a swollen knee, or a sudden sharp pain in the Achilles tendon, which may mean a torn tendon. Unexplained weight loss, fever or persistent swelling alongside muscle, bone or joint problems also need a doctor [7][12]. Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe. If during or after activity you feel sick, sweaty or unwell, or have unexplained discomfort, or breathlessness or dizziness that doesn't settle, don't just ease off. If it's mild and passing, see a doctor. Unusual tiredness isn't an emergency, but it's worth getting checked by a doctor. A sore muscle or joint, or soreness a day or two later, is a sign to ease off. See a doctor or physiotherapist if it persists or gets worse. Increasing activity gradually helps manage risks. If you have a long-term condition, work with your doctor or physiotherapist, because different conditions behave differently [3]. ## Quick answers ### Is it normal for it to hurt a bit when I start moving again? A short-lived rise in pain when you return to normal activities is described as normal, and it usually settles within a few days. Start at a level that doesn't make your pain worse, and talk to your physiotherapist or doctor about what's right for your injury. ### Can I keep walking while an injury heals? Rehabilitation usually starts with gentle movement, and some activity is better than none. Which activities suit your injury depends on what you've hurt, so ask your doctor or physiotherapist what's right for you, and keep to a level that doesn't make your pain worse. ### What if I've tried to come back before and it didn't last? Coming back after a break is normal, and it often takes more than one go. Start small, repeat the same session a few times, and change one thing at a time. If symptoms return, go back to the last level you managed comfortably and build up again from there. ## Sources 1. Northern Care Alliance. Emergency and Urgent Care - Soft Tissue Injury (Salford). https://www.northerncarealliance.nhs.uk/patient-information/patient-leaflets/emergency-and-urgent-care-soft-tissue-injury-1 2. Valdés CAJ et al. (2026). Beyond the Repair: Rethinking Functional Recovery in Musculoskeletal Injury. IECCMEXICO. https://doi.org/10.64784/159 3. Bull FC et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955 4. NHS (2025). Physiotherapy. https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/physiotherapy/ 5. Ardern CL et al. (2016). 2016 Consensus statement on return to sport from the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy, Bern. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2016-096278 6. Return to sport post-injury - top tips for young people. https://www.wsh.nhs.uk/CMS-Documents/Patient-leaflets/Physiotherapy/6579-1-Return-to-sport-post-injury-top-tips-for-young-people.pdf 7. NHS. Knee pain and other running injuries. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/knee-pain-and-other-running-injuries/ 8. D'Hooghe P, Cruz F, Alkhelaifi K (2020). Return to Play After a Lateral Ligament Ankle Sprain. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7251008/ 9. King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Musculoskeletal outpatient physiotherapy. https://www.kch.nhs.uk/services/services-a-to-z/musculoskeletal-outpatient-physiotherapy/ 10. NHS. Get NHS help for back or joint problems from community musculoskeletal (MSK) services. https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/get-nhs-help-for-back-joint-problems/ 11. Health New Zealand. Soft tissue injuries and treatment. https://www.healthnz.govt.nz/health-topics/tests-and-treatments/emergencies-and-first-aid/soft-tissue-injuries-treatment 12. Clydeview Medical Practice. Understanding Advanced Practice Physiotherapists in GP Practices (GP APPs). https://clydeviewmedicalpractice.scot.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/359911_1_0-What-are-Advanced-Practice-Physiotherapists-in-GP-Practices-A4_SFINALMI.pdf --- Source: Twikka (https://twikka.com/learn/coming-back-after-an-injury). General information about physical activity, not medical advice.