CLINICAL SUGGESTION

IJSPT CRITERIA-BASED RETURN TO SPRINTING

ABSTRACT
In the terminal phases of athletic rehabilitation, transitioning back to sport is a critical aspect to prepare an
athlete for return to full participation. Numerous interval sport programs have been published in the litera-
ture and return to sports guidelines and criteria-based progressions for returning to sport have been pub-
lished, but no such protocol exists for returning to the task of sprinting. Any field or court athlete must be
able to sprint as part of his/her sport demands. Because of the absence of a specific progression, sports
rehabilitation professionals lack knowledge about objective criteria to progress to sprinting as well as a
progressive program to do so. Given that sports rehabilitation professionals have limited visits to complete
rehabilitation or their athletes have limited financial resources to do so, it is imperative that a structured,
criteria-based progression be available. The purpose of this clinical suggestion is to provide a criteria-based
return to sprinting progression.
Level of Evidence: 5
Keywords: Criteria-based progression, Interval sports program, return to sport, sprinting

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Daniel Lorenz, DPT, PT, ATC, LAT, CSCS,
Director of Sports Medicine, Lawrence
Memorial Hospital/OrthoKansas
1
1112 W. 6th St. Suite 124
Lawrence Memorial Hospital/OrthoKansas, Lawrence, KS,
USA Lawrence, KS 66044
2
Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA E-mail: danielslorenz@[Link]
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. 815-370-5337

The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy | Volume 15, Number 2 | April 2020 | Page 326
DOI: 10.26603/ijspt20200326
THE PROBLEM screening of other potential lower extremity impair-
Return to running and eventually sprinting is an ments has been performed and any limitations or
objective in the terminal phases of rehabilitation after deficits have been addressed. Secondly, physician
every lower extremity injury, especially for field and clearance should be obtained. Prior to initiation of
court sport athletes. Athletes in anaerobic field and the return to sprint progression, the author suggests
court sports that require interval sprinting should athletes complete a four-week return to jogging pro-
reach top speed in a controlled, predictable environ- gram. For many patients, it might be reasonable to
ment prior to engaging in competition. Given that expect readiness to return to running around the
prior research has shown that up to 19% of athletes 8th–16th postoperative weeks,7 provided they have
do not return to sport for fear of re-injury after ACL physician clearance, meet testing criteria, and have
reconstruction,1 fostering limb confidence by success- no effusion or pain. While a number of these return
fully reaching maximum sprint speed may help facili- to running progressions are available online, there
tate improvements in the ability to return to sport. have been some published in the literature.20,21
Criteria-based progressions have been published pre- Essentially, all of these programs involve walk: jog
viously to progress athletes through a rehabilitation intervals that progressively reduce time walking
program,2-9 but there remains little agreement and and increase time jogging, most of them up to about
consistency in the literature about when the appro- thirty minutes of jogging. The authors are not aware
priate time is to begin jogging,7 and when an athlete of any research comparing these programs to deter-
does begin, what specific distances or work:rest ratios mine the ideal time frame with associated walk:jog
should be completed. There are several papers that ratios. The purpose completing a walk:jog interval
have highlighted work: rest ratios in a number of program is to build an aerobic base to prepare for
sports,10-15 and technological advances have allowed more intense runs in the return to sprinting program.
the rehabilitation professional to use Global Position- A previous review has proposed guidelines to begin
ing Systems (GPS) to determine distances athletes return to running and it is suggested the clinician
run during completion.9,15 Furthermore, numerous consider strength and performance-based criteria
interval sport programs have been published in the including hamstring and quadriceps limb symmetry
literature,16-19 but no such protocol exists for return- index (LSI) and quadriceps LSI>70% evaluated by
ing to actual sprinting. There is little guidance for the isometric assessments and hop test LSI>70%. The
rehabilitation professional to utilize when returning addition of a single-leg squat or step-up assessment
an athlete back to high speed running (sprinting). performed without increase in knee valgus may also
Given that many sports rehabilitation profession- be considered. Return to running decision-making
als have athletes with reduced or minimal visits in should be individualized for each athlete/patient.7
the terminal phases of rehabilitation and that, to the
author’s knowledge, no return to sprinting progres- It is advised to perform a general warm-up to increase
sion has been published to date, a structured program blood flow, which can consist of a light jog, cycling,
for both the rehabilitation professional and the ath- elliptical, or calisthenics for 5-10 minutes or until
lete is necessary. The purpose of this clinical sugges- the athlete breaks a sweat. Following the general
tion is to provide a criteria-based return to sprinting warm-up, a more specific/dynamic warm-up should
progression. In circumstances where an athlete will take place consisting of activities including but not
be performing more self-guided workouts due to lack limited to walking lunges, “toy soldiers”, skipping,
of financial resources, insurance limitations, or any bounding, high knees, “butt kickers”, ankling, and
inability to continue supervised rehabilitation, the other similar activities to potentiate more explosive
program will help minimize the guesswork that often activities. The return to sprinting program should be
transpires in the terminal phases of rehabilitation. performed on alternating days. Progression/regres-
sion should be based on soreness and effusion,8 as
THE SOLUTION well as the athlete’s ability to complete all runs in
The first step in considering readiness to begin the specified work:ratio. If the athlete is unable to
the return to sprinting progression is to ensure a complete the specified runs due to fatigue, the step

The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy | Volume 15, Number 2 | April 2020 | Page 327
should be repeated without progression until they are athletes will likely be returning to participation with
able to do so. If an athlete completes the prescribed team activities or individual drills. This program can
runs in the specified work:rest ratio but they have be done after sport-specific drills are complete with
yet to achieve criteria to advance stages, the authors team activities. Any explosive or power-based activi-
suggest repeating the runs at the same intensity, but ties take priority over completion of this program,
shorter work:rest ratio. For example, if the athlete except for the final stage which is approaching or at
has completed all Stage 2 runs but has yet to achieve maximum effort.
strength and hop testing criteria to advance to Stage
3, start back over at Step 1 and do the same runs in a Return to Sprint Progression: Stage 1
1:4 or 1:3 work:rest ratio. The rationale for this is that (Appendix A)
the athlete will have a greater overall fitness as the Criteria to begin: Completion of a four week walk:jog
same volume was achieved but in less time. program for 30 minutes, strength testing of quadri-
ceps and hamstrings at least 70% of the uninvolved
There are a few potential limitations of this program side, hop testing at least 70% of the uninvolved, no
that are worth noting. Tolerance of running volume pain, no effusion.
will likely be athlete-specific. The program outlined
Objectives: Build work capacity for higher intensity
may have too much volume and can be adjusted
runs, build overall fitness
accordingly. For example, the volume may be
adjusted down for an offensive tackle in American Athlete cue: “Run about 50% of your maximum effort”
football, but may be increased for a soccer athlete.
Similarly, distance of runs can be decreased based In Stage 1, the athlete begins building intensity dur-
on sport and position. An American football wide ing the runs. Rather than long-slow distance as in
receiver or defensive back may have run distances the return to jogging programs, the athlete is asked
that cover >30 yards, while a defensive lineman may to keep a 1:3 work:rest ratio. The program says
have more runs that cover <30 yards. The sports “untimed” in steps 1 and 2 to leave the athlete and
rehabilitation professional should ensure that the rehabilitation professional the ability to adjust the
volumes are systematic and progressive and allow program should the individual fitness levels not tol-
the athlete to match work:rest ratios prescribed. The erate the demands of the work:rest ratio. Note that
objective is to build tolerance to sprinting and to both volume of runs and overall distance increases
achieve top speeds with specific rest times to rep- as Stage 1 progresses to build anaerobic endurance
licate sport demands. Secondly, the program does due to specific work:rest ratios, rather than untimed
not involve any change of direction, nor any percep- runs. Distances are moderate to high. It is advised
tual or decision-making tasks. Most anaerobic sports that the athlete achieve the runs with the work:rest
require cutting/change of direction at top speeds ratio suggested to ensure appropriate fitness base for
and in unpredictable environments. Clearly, these later phases. While the amount of runs may seem
activities will need to be incorporated into a com- high, even at the peak distance, the athlete has not
prehensive rehabilitation/return to sport program. even run ¾ of a mile.
The return to sprinting program be completed at full
speed before an athlete attempts achieves full speed Return to Sprinting Progression: Stage 2
in change of direction tasks as sprinting is a single Criteria to begin: Completion of Stage 1, all strength
plane activity and change of direction involves multi- and functional testing 80-85% or better, full passive
ple planes. That being said, change of direction tasks flexion restored.
at lower speeds can be completed concurrently with
Objectives: Continue building sport-specific work:rest
the return to sprinting progression. To build in more
ratios, build repeated sprint ability.
change of direction movement, the rehabilitation
professional might consider performing the drills Athlete cues: “Don’t reach top gear, but go harder
over the provided distances in the program, but put than you did in Stage 1,” or “Run about 75% of your
in cones for cutting tasks. During these later stages, maximum effort”

The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy | Volume 15, Number 2 | April 2020 | Page 328
Because intensity is increasing, rest periods will Athlete cue: “You should be very close to or at maxi-
increase. The athlete should focus at this time on mum effort” or “Run at 90-100% of your maximum
running technique. Full passive flexion of the knee effort”
is critical to allow the leg to complete the recov-
ery cycle and to promote proper sprint mechanics. In this phase, maximum effort as well as maximum
The rehabilitation professional can test this with recovery should be practiced. While there are more
the prone knee bending test.22 While the athlete is runs than in Stage 2, the distance of each run is
prone, the rehabilitation professional places one markedly less, most of which are <30 yards. These
hand on the posterior pelvis and the other on the distances can of course be adjusted based on the
ankle. The knee is passively flexed to end range or athlete’s position or specific work:rest ratio in their
when the athlete reports pain or discomfort. Sym- sport. In Steps 1 and 2 of this stage, the rehabilita-
metry in range of motion and soft tissue compliance tion professional might allow full subjective recov-
should be symmetrical. While the rehabilitation ery between sprints if the athlete’s conditioning
professional can measure this with a goniometer, level cannot tolerate the work:rest ratios prescribed.
assessment of this involves more “feel” compar- If the athlete is not able to maintain the prescribed
ing side-to-side passive mobility. The effort for the work:rest ratio in the final two steps, the program
rehabilitation professional to reach full passive flex- should stop for that workout as there clearly is a
ion should feel the same as well as the resistance decline in maximum sprint performance and the
from the athlete’s knee and/or soft tissues. Volume quality of the session will be sacrificed. Instead,
and distance decreases significantly compared to the rehabilitation professional can encourage a
Stage 1. Distances are more moderate and distances “finish” attitude by completing the remaining runs
>60 yards will be emphasized less. Total yardage at a lower intensity, perform lower intensity runs
decreases as this stage progresses because intensity from previous steps, or perform more sport-specific
should be increasing and rest periods should be fol- drills/activities. The athlete should be reminded
lowed. Fatigue will likely become more a factor as that in this phase, they have to “train fast to be fast.”
intensity increases, so total distance is decreased. Once there is a decline, further attempts at running
at maximum effort in this session will likely not be
This phase also involves building repeated sprint beneficial. Much like Stage 2 the volume of runs is
ability (RSA). RSA describes the ability of an ath- relatively the same, but the total distance decreases
lete to recover and maintain maximal effort during as the stage progresses due to likely increase in
subsequent sprints, an attribute considered impor- sprinting intensity.
tant to team sports. It is often trained and measured
via high-intensity sprints, interspersed with brief
recovery bouts (≤30 seconds). Most strength and DISCUSSION
conditioning coaches agree that for validity and cor- A specific progression for the rehabilitation pro-
respondence to the actual sport, the RSA training fessional in the terminal phases of rehabilitation
session or testing protocol should resemble the work to return an athlete to maximum effort sprinting
to rest ratio of the sport in question. Because of this, has not been previously published, to the author’s
it is important that the athlete achieve prescribed knowledge. A progressive, structured program with
repetitions with prescribed rest periods.23 specific distances as well as appropriate work:rest
ratios helps take what is often guesswork out of the
late stage rehabilitation programming. What is more,
Return to Sprinting Progression: Stage 3
many rehabilitation professionals are forced to pro-
Criteria to Begin: Completion of Stage 2, all strength
vide programming for self-guided sessions due to
and functional testing 90% or better. No effusion or
financial or insurance visit limitations. Therefore, a
pain.
return to sprinting program is something the reha-
Objective: Achieve maximum effort, normal mechan- bilitation professional can provide to their athletes
ics, improve limb confidence, prepare for sport-spe- should more independent, unsupervised workouts
cific work: rest ratio be necessary.

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 APPENDIX A
PROGRESSION TO SPRINTING

Stage 1. 50% INTENSITY ( 1:3 work to rest ratio).

Stage 2. 75% INTENSITY (1:5 work to rest ratio).

Stage 3. 90 - 100% INTENSITY (1:7 work to rest ratio).

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