Returning to Fitness After Injury — How to Ramp Up Safely and Sustainably

In the world of barbell athletes, CrossFitters, runners, and fitness-forward enthusiasts, nothing is more frustrating than getting sidelined by an injury. Whether it was a tweaked hamstring during sprints, shoulder pain from overhead lifting, or a nagging knee from too many box jumps, the journey back to full training can feel like walking a tightrope. Push too hard and risk re-injury. Take it too easy and lose progress. So how do you get back safely, confidently, and intelligently?

As a physical therapist team in Minneapolis specializing in these injuries, we take a “physical therapy first for injury rehab” approach— meaning we don’t just help you recover; we help you rebuild in a way that honors your goals and keeps you training. Here’s how we guide our athletes through a fitness-forwardreturn-to-training strategy after injury.

Understand Your Load Tolerance

One of the biggest keys in injury rehab and return to sport is understanding load tolerance—how much stress or strain your injured tissue can currently handle. Injured tissues (like tendons, joints, or muscles) have a current capacity, which is almost always less than their previous peak. Our goal is to gradually rebuild that tolerance, not blow past it.

This doesn’t mean stopping all movement. In fact, training while injured is often part of the recovery process. For example:

• A runner with Achilles pain might reduce mileage but continue biking or rowing.

• A barbell athlete with shoulder pain may work around the injury with front squats, sled pushes, or single-arm work.

This “train what you can” mentality not only keeps the body strong—it also keeps the mind engaged.

Use RPE to Guide Progression

We use the RPE scale (Rate of Perceived Exertion) as a key tool to guide the ramp-up process. RPE helps track internal load—how hard a workout feels on a 0–10 scale. When returning from injury, we typically want athletes to work through range of motion, load, and intensity that is tolerable to them, but still challenging (think RPE 6-8). We firmly believe that even if we can’t directly work an area, elements of cardiovascular exertion and challenging the joints above and below the injured region can still pay off enormously.

Example:

Let’s say you’re coming back from a back strain and returning to deadlifts. Instead of jumping right back into 5x5 at 315 lbs, you might:

• Start with tempo kettlebell or trap bar deadlifts at RPE 4-5.

• Then progress to barbell work at lighter loads, gradually increasing reps, volume, and RPE weekly.

• Over time, as tolerance improves, build back into your heavier barbell loads and metcons.

Don’t Skip the Rebuild Phase

One of the most common mistakes we see as physical therapists is jumping too quickly from rehab to “normal training.” Just because you’re pain-free doesn’t mean your tissue is ready for max effort. There needs to be a rebuild phase—focused on progressive loading, motor control, and exposure to sport-specific movements.

This is where a fitness-forward physical therapy approach shines. We don’t just get you out of pain—we get you back to Olympic lifts, box jumps, hill sprints, and all the things you love, with intention and progression.

Individualize the Plan

Every injury and athlete is different. A CrossFit athlete returning from a shoulder issue will have different ramp-up needs than a distance runner coming back from a hip strain. Your return-to-training plan should be individualized based on:

• The type of injury

• Your current load tolerance

• Your training goals

• The demands of your sport

This is why working with a physical therapist in Minneapolis who understands barbell training and sport-specific performance is crucial. We speak your language—and we help bridge the gap between rehab and full performance.

Key Takeaways

• Train what you can while respecting your injury.

• Focus on load tolerance and gradually rebuild it.

• Use RPE to guide effort and avoid overtraining.

• Embrace a structured rebuild phase before going full send.

• Get a personalized plan with a fitness-forward physical therapist who knows how to keep you moving.

If you’re currently navigating an injury and not sure how to get back to training safely, reach out to our team. We specialize in physical therapy first for injury rehab, helping athletes from all backgrounds return to what they love—stronger, smarter, and more resilient than ever.

Ready to ramp up the right way? Schedule a visit with our fitness-forward physical therapists in Minneapolis today.