OSU Sports Medicine

Walk: Jog Program

These are rehabilitation guidelines for OSU Sports Medicine patients.
Please contact us at 614-293-2385 if you have any questions.
Goal:

To provide a detail plan for a gradual return to running activities after injury or surgery. The
goal of the Walk:Jog program is to provide a gradual increase in stress and intensity to the
joint surfaces with the goal of progressing to 20 minutes of continuous pain-free running.
This allows the patient to gradually develop an aerobic base over a period of time. The
patient should complete a distance of 1 mile to 1.5 miles for each step in the program. The
Walk:Jog program is not intended to be a significant aerobic conditioning program which
can be done with low or no impact cross training.

Phase I:

Criteria to initiate jogging

7 /10 on #10 IKDC Questionnaire (Appendix A)

Complete single leg hop-downs without medial/lateral knee displacement

Normalized ROM

Audible rhythmic strike patterns and no gross visual antalgia

Demonstrates 20 minutes of treadmill walking at a brisk pace

Pass - Fail: If the patient can complete 20 minutes for treadmill walking at a brisk pace, he
or may progress to Phase II and start the Walk:Jog program. If the patient can not
complete Phase I or shows signs of poor range of motion, pain, weakness, or discomfort the program must stop at this point. The patient will then return to the athletic training
room or physical therapy clinic for more treatment and functional work.
Coaching Point: During all phases of Walk:Jog program, the patient must display proper
running mechanics. This is a must, and needs to be monitored to ensure that a
controllable amount of stress is placed on the injured area.

Phase II:

The Walk:Jog program is to be performed in a step by step fashion. The program can be
varied to meet individual situations. The patient should be going through this program at a
minimum of 1 day on, 1 day off basis with increased time off between bouts given on
individual basis. The patient will perform only 1 step per day. The patient must be pain-free
and demonstrate good running mechanics before he or she may progress to the next step.
The patient may be held at a given step longer, drop back a step, or some situations, skip
a level if progressing well.
Pain with Running: If the athlete experiences pain while running, he or she is stop
running at that point of the program and rest. The patient will then rest the following day.
The next running session the patient may go back 1 2 steps in the Walk:Jog program. If
the patient experiences pain with warm-up walking or during the Walk:Jog program, he or
she is to be shut down from running. The patient returns to the training room or physical
therapy clinic for more treatment and functional work. The patient may need 1 - 2 days or
more of rest and treatment before he or she returns to the Walk:Jog program. The patient
must be pain-free before he or she returns to the Walk:Jog program. If the patient
has been shut down from the Walk:Jog program for a period of time, he or she should
again start 1 - 2 steps or more, back from where they experienced pain in the Walk:Jog
program.
Rehab Program: The athlete should perform the Walk:Jog program first, rehab exercises
second, and finally finish with the strength, conditioning and flexibility program (with
modifications per injury).

Warm-Up
(Walk)

Jog

Walk

Repetitions

Cool Down
(Walk)

Total Time

Step 1 (3:1)

5 minutes
(3.2 - 4.2 mph)*

1 minute
(4.5 5.0 mph)

3 minutes
(3.2 4.2 mph)

5 minutes
(3.2 4.2 mph)

30 minutes

Step 2 (2:1)

5 minutes
(3.2 - 4.2 mph)

1 minute
(4.8 5.0 mph)

2 minutes
(3.2 4.2 mph)

5 minutes
(3.2 4.2 mph)

31 minutes

Step 3 (1:2)

5 minutes
(3.2 - 4.2 mph)

2 minutes
(5.0 5.5 mph)

1 minute
(3.2 4.2 mph)

5 minutes
(3.2 4.2 mph)

31 minutes

Step 4 (1:3)

5 minutes
(3.2 - 4.2 mph)

3 minutes
(5.5 5.8 mph)

1 minute
(3.2 4.2 mph)

5 minutes
(3.2 4.2 mph)

30 minutes

Step 5 (1:5)

5 minutes
(3.2 - 4.2 mph)

5 minutes
(5.8 6.0 mph)

1 minute
(3.2 4.2 mph)

5 minutes
(3.2 4.2 mph)

34 minutes

Step 6

20 minute Continuous Run

Warm-Up: 5 minute walk (3.2 4.2 mph)
Jog x 20 minutes (Start slowly gradually increasing the pace)
- 5 minutes (4.5 5.0 mph), 5 minutes (5.0 mph), 5 minutes (5.5. mph), 5 minutes (6.0 mph)
Cool Down: 5 minute walk (3.2 4.2 mph)

Step 7

Jog every other day with the goal of reaching 30 consecutive minutes, begin with 5 minutes of
walking, gradually increasing the pace. End with 5 minutes of walking, gradually decreasing the
pace to a comfortable walk.

* The mph are recommendations and may be adjusted based on surgery, injury, or aerobic level. However, the goal
continues to be to slowly and gradually increase intensity and stress with each step of the Walk:Jog program and provide
adequate rest between steps.