CoachingDIAGNOSIS

RETURNING TO CYCLING AFTER INJURY

You've been cleared to ride. The body can do it — technically. But the fitness is gone, the confidence is fragile, and you don't know how to structure a rebuild that gets you back without breaking again.

THE SHORT ANSWER

Most often, this is because rushing the rebuild — the fitness you lost took months; it needs months to return. The fix: follow a structured return — 12-week comeback plan calibrated to time off the bike.

WHY THIS HAPPENS

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Rushing the rebuild — the fitness you lost took months; it needs months to return

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Pain scale confusion — discomfort during rebuild is different from injury pain

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Detraining is real: 2-4 weeks off costs 5-10% of VO2max; 3+ months costs 20%+

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Muscle imbalances post-injury — one side stronger, different recruitment pattern

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Mental-fitness gap — legs are ahead of confidence, or vice versa

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Missing the rehab-to-training transition — going straight from PT discharge to normal rides

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

1

Follow a structured return

12-week comeback plan calibrated to time off the bike

2

Reset your zones

Your old FTP is aspirational — recalibrate from current fitness

3

Add strength rehab

Addresses imbalances and rebuilds robustness

4

Get coached through the return

The highest-risk period for re-injury is DIY comeback

FREE DIAGNOSTIC

Recalculate your zones

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