Condition
Keep running while you recover. Assessment, load management and a graded return to running, at Glen Iris or by telehealth.
A running injury is pain that shows up when you run. It usually builds over weeks rather than arriving all at once, and most of the time it is a load problem rather than damage.
The common ones are shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome), runner's knee (patellofemoral pain), ITB syndrome, Achilles tendinopathy, plantar heel pain and bone stress injury.
Most runners can keep running in some form while they recover. Your plan is built around what you can handle now and how to grow that safely.
Running injury advice has moved on. A few common approaches settle things briefly but rarely build the capacity you need to keep running.
Rest can calm symptoms, but your fitness and tissue capacity drop while you wait. When you go back, the same run meets a body less ready for it.
Terms like runner's knee and ITB syndrome describe where it hurts, not why. A label is a starting point for the conversation, not the end of it.
Imaging findings are common in runners with no pain at all. A finding on a scan is worth knowing about, but it is not automatically the reason you are sore.
Set targets, such as a certain number of single leg calf raises before you are allowed to run, are not well supported and do not reflect what running asks of you. Running is part of the rehab, not a reward for passing a test.
We look at the whole picture: your training, your history, your goal, and what your body can handle right now. Then we build a plan that moves with you.
A full assessment covering injury history, training load, footwear, running history, red flag and bone stress screening, and a gait assessment where it is useful.
Most running injuries respond to changing volume, intensity or recovery rather than stopping. We work out what to adjust and by how much (Gabbett, 2016).
Tendon, bone and muscle adapt to load. We progressively load the tissue that is irritated instead of protecting it indefinitely.
A graded return matched to your goal and timeframe, with ongoing load monitoring and changes to the plan as you progress.
Bone stress injury is one of the most commonly missed diagnoses in runners, and identifying it late is linked to a longer time away from running (Warden et al., 2014). Every assessment screens for it specifically, rather than treating shin pain as soft tissue until it proves otherwise.
We also screen for low energy availability, RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) and low bone mineral density (Mountjoy et al., 2023). These are often the real driver behind bone stress injuries that keep coming back. Where something is flagged, we refer you on as part of your care.
Accredited Exercise Physiology at Glen Iris and by telehealth
Running rehab here is led by Sam Padarcic, an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and a marathon runner himself. Sam sees runners at our Glen Iris clinic, and by telehealth for runners further afield. We see clients privately, through Medicare GP Chronic Condition Management Plans (GPCCMP), NDIS, TAC, WorkCover, and DVA.
Qualifications: Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology, Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science, Accredited Exercise Physiologist (ESSA), Greg Lehman's Running Resiliency Certification, Blake Withers' Diagnosing, Managing and Building Capacity in the Foot and Ankle
Meet SamThis is suited to runners who:
Have a current niggle or injury and want a plan rather than rest
Are coming back after time off and want a structured, graded return
Are chasing a goal, like a first half marathon, a PB, or ultra prep
Keep getting the same injury back and want to know why
Are not sure whether their pain means they should stop running
Want their training load managed properly alongside their rehab
Usually not. Most running injuries are load problems, so the plan is to adjust how much you run rather than stop altogether. Where an injury does need a break from running, we keep you training in another form and give you a clear plan to start again.
Often not. Imaging findings are common in runners with no symptoms, so a scan does not always explain your pain. We use imaging when the result would actually change your management, such as when we suspect a bone stress injury.
A bone stress injury happens when bone is loaded faster than it can adapt. It is one of the most commonly missed diagnoses in runners, and identifying it late is linked to longer time away from running (Warden et al., 2014). Every assessment screens for it specifically.
RED-S stands for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. It happens when your energy intake does not match your training, and it can affect bone, hormones, mood and performance (Mountjoy et al., 2023). It is often behind bone stress injuries that keep coming back.
Where it is useful, yes. Gait retraining helps some presentations, though the evidence suggests education and training modification do most of the work (Esculier et al., 2018). We start there and add gait retraining when it suits your case.
It depends on the injury, how long it has been there, and what you are training for. You will get a realistic timeframe after your assessment, and we adjust it as we see how you respond.
Yes, and it usually helps. With your consent we can talk to your coach, GP, podiatrist or physiotherapist so everyone is working to the same plan rather than giving you conflicting advice.
Yes. Telehealth suits running rehab well, because much of the work is training load, planning and progression. Runners outside Melbourne, or anyone who would rather meet online, can book a telehealth appointment.
No referral is needed to book directly. If you have a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (GPCCMP), you may be eligible for Medicare rebates on up to five allied health sessions per calendar year. Our admin team can help clarify your options.
Your journey
Plenty of runners are also managing back pain, persistent pain or another condition at the same time. We are used to that, and your running plan is built to fit around it rather than ignore it.
Learn about our approachReady to take the next step? Book an initial assessment and tell us about your running. No referral needed.
Book Your First AppointmentAbout this page
Written by Sam Padarcic, Accredited Exercise Physiologist (ESSA). Last reviewed August 2026.
Esculier, J.-F., Bouyer, L. J., Dubois, B., Fremont, P., Moore, L., McFadyen, B., & Roy, J.-S. (2018). Is combining gait retraining or an exercise programme with education better than education alone in treating runners with patellofemoral pain? A randomised clinical trial. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(10), 659-666.
Gabbett, T. J. (2016). The training-injury prevention paradox: Should athletes be training smarter and harder? British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(5), 273-280.
Mountjoy, M., Ackerman, K. E., Bailey, D. M., Burke, L. M., Constantini, N., Hackney, A. C., Heikura, I. A., Melin, A., Pensgaard, A. M., Stellingwerff, T., Sundgot-Borgen, J. K., Torstveit, M. K., Jacobsen, A. U., Verhagen, E., Budgett, R., Engebretsen, L., & Erdener, U. (2023). 2023 International Olympic Committee's (IOC) consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57(17), 1073-1097.
Neason, C., Samanna, C. L., Tagliaferri, S. D., Belavy, D. L., Bowe, S. J., Clarkson, M. J., Craige, E. A., Gollan, R., Main, L. C., Miller, C. T., Mitchell, U. H., Mundell, N. L., Owen, P. J., Rantalainen, T., Scott, D., Tait, J. L., & Ranasinghe, C. D. (2025). Running is acceptable and efficacious in adults with non-specific chronic low back pain: The ASTEROID randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 59(2), 99-108.
Warden, S. J., Davis, I. S., & Fredericson, M. (2014). Management and prevention of bone stress injuries in long-distance runners. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 44(10), 749-765.
.jpeg)
.jpg)
