Day 2: Build capacity, earn progression

Day 2 shifts the focus toward building capacity and preparing patients for higher demand. The morning opens with a recap of common early-stage errors and the importance of setting realistic expectations with patients.

Strength development is then covered in depth, including strength benchmarks versus timelines, quadriceps avoidance patterns, safe use of open-chain knee extension, progression from bilateral to unilateral loading, and early management of asymmetry.

Practical 2 brings this into the room through hands-on coaching of:

• Squat and hinge progressions.
  
• Split squat and step patterns.
  
• Knee-dominant loading.
  
• Hamstring and posterior chain loading.
  

The afternoon focuses on neuromuscular control, balance and movement quality. Participants work through static and dynamic balance, proprioception, load absorption, landing mechanics, early deceleration and introductory plyometric strategies including jumping, bounding, hopping and pogos. Practical applications include single-leg tasks, perturbations and anti-valgus strategies.

The course concludes with return-to-run decision-making, including readiness criteria, common reasons patients fail return-to-run, example session structures and clinical principles for not rushing progression. Case discussion also explores how to manage impatient athletes and communicate risk more effectively.