Coming back safely

Returning to the Bleep Test After Injury, Illness or Time Off

Do not run the bleep test, or practise it, while you are in pain or still recovering. See a GP or physiotherapist first and follow their plan. Declare the injury or illness to your force on the medical questionnaire: for serving officers that leads to occupational health, and for lower-limb injuries your force may offer the Chester treadmill test instead. Then rebuild in stages, from walking to straight-line running to slow turns, before any bleep-paced shuttles. The shuttle run asks for 34 turns to reach 5.4, so turning comes last.

Read this first. General training information, not medical advice. Stop if you feel pain, dizziness or chest discomfort, and see a GP before you start if you have a health condition, an injury or are pregnant. No tool can guarantee a pass.

This page is general information drawn from NHS and College of Policing guidance. It is not a rehabilitation plan. If a GP, physiotherapist or occupational health clinician has given you advice, theirs comes first.

Call 999 if you get sudden chest pain or discomfort that does not go away, pain that spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or chest pain with sweating, sickness, light-headedness or breathlessness (NHS). Do not wait to see if it passes during a session.

Serving officers

Your annual test is due and you are coming back from an injury, sickness absence, recuperative duties or parental leave.

Candidates

You have a test date and picked up an injury or illness while training, or you are restarting after a long break.

Retakers

You missed 5.4 and think pain or an injury played a part, and you need to plan the next attempt properly.

Step one

Should you be running at all? What the NHS says

The NHS line on running injuries is simple: listen to your body, do not run if you are in pain, and only start again when you have recovered sufficiently. This table summarises what NHS pages say about the problems that most often affect shuttle running. It is a summary for orientation, not a diagnosis; follow the link for the full page.

Problem	What the NHS says about running	When the NHS says to get help	NHS page (last reviewed)
Sprain or strain (ankle, knee, calf, hamstring)	After 2 weeks most feel better, but avoid strenuous exercise such as running for up to 8 weeks because of the risk of further damage. Severe ones can take months.	NHS 111 if it is very painful or getting worse, you cannot put weight on it, or swelling is large or growing. 999 or A&E if you heard a crack, the limb has changed shape, or it is numb or cold.	Sprains and strains 23 April 2024
Shin splints	Usually better within a few weeks. Switch to gentle exercise such as swimming or yoga while it heals, do not carry on with the exercise that caused it, and build back up slowly rather than returning at your old level.	See a GP if it is getting worse or not improving. NHS 111 if the pain is severe or you have injured your shin.	Shin splints 9 February 2023
Knee pain (including runner's knee)	Do not run with knee pain. How soon you can run again depends on the cause and how severe it is.	See a GP or physiotherapist if pain is still there after a week's rest; straight away if it is severe or swollen. The NHS knee pain page adds: 111 if the knee locks, gives way or you cannot put weight on it.	Knee pain and other running injuries 25 November 2022
Achilles pain	Even if the pain is not severe, rest until it goes and get it checked if it does not.	See a GP or physiotherapist if it has not gone after 2 to 3 weeks. A sudden sharp pain may mean a tear: see a GP straight away.	Knee pain and other running injuries 25 November 2022
Heel pain (plantar fasciitis)	The NHS running injuries page says you will not be able to run with heel pain and that, treated early, it normally goes in a few weeks. The plantar fasciitis page suggests exercise that does not put pressure on your feet, such as swimming.	See a GP if it has not improved after 2 weeks of looking after it yourself, or it is severe, or you have tingling or numbness.	Plantar fasciitis 14 February 2025
Lower back pain	Stay active and keep up daily activities; do not stay in bed for long periods. Stop any exercise that makes the pain worse.	See a GP if it has not improved after a few weeks or stops daily activities. 999 or A&E for numbness or weakness in both legs, numbness around the genitals or bottom, or bladder or bowel changes.	Back pain 5 March 2026

Getting seen

In many areas you can refer yourself to NHS community musculoskeletal (MSK) services for physiotherapy without a GP referral. NHS physiotherapy is free, but the NHS says waiting times can be long. If you pay privately, the NHS advises using a chartered physiotherapist (MCSP after their name) registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. A pharmacist can advise on early pain relief for sprains and strains. Serving officers should also tell their line manager, because occupational health may be involved anyway.

The turning problem

Why the shuttle run is harder on an injury than a jog

Being able to jog again is not the same as being ready for the bleep test. Every shuttle ends with a stop, a turn and a push-off, and the time allowed for each 15m gets shorter as the levels rise. The College of Policing itself recognises this: it says its treadmill alternative exists for officers whose lower-limb injuries stop them completing the shuttle run because of the turning at the end of each shuttle.

Level	Seconds per 15m	Speed	Shuttles in level	Shuttles so far	Turns so far	Time so far (about)
1	6.83 s	7.9 km/h	7	7 (105 m)	6	0:48
2	6.36 s	8.5 km/h	8	15 (225 m)	14	1:39
3	6.11 s	8.8 km/h	8	23 (345 m)	22	2:28
4	5.75 s	9.4 km/h	8	31 (465 m)	30	3:14
5 (to 5.4)	5.43 s	9.9 km/h	4	35 (525 m)	34	3:35

Computed from our shared 15m protocol table. The College gives the standard as 35 shuttles, 525 m and 3 minutes 35 seconds; its own table rounds the level 4 time to 5.6 seconds. Full chart: bleep test levels explained.

Braking

Each line means slowing from running speed to a stop. Ankles, knees and calves take that load 34 times on the way to 5.4.

Twisting

Turning 180 degrees on a planted foot is a different movement from straight-line running, and one that treadmill or road running does not practise.

Accelerating

Pushing off again from a standstill loads the calf and Achilles, and it happens faster as the time per shuttle drops from about 6.8 to 5.4 seconds by level 5.

Before your appointment

What to tell your GP or physiotherapist about the test

Many clinicians will not know exactly what the police fitness test involves. "Can I go running?" and "Can I do the bleep test?" are different questions, so give them the details and ask the second one.

The movement	Running back and forth between two lines 15 metres apart, stopping and turning 180 degrees at each line.
How much	35 shuttles (525 m) and 34 turns to reach the 5.4 standard, in about 3 minutes 35 seconds. Specialist roles go further.
How fast	From about 7.9 km/h at level 1 to about 9.9 km/h at level 5, getting quicker every level.
Where	Indoors on a sports hall type floor, in PT kit and trainers, usually in a group.
Effort	Close to a maximal effort for some people by the final level.
The alternative	Some forces offer a treadmill test instead: brisk walking at 6 km/h with the gradient rising 3% every two minutes for 10 minutes.

Useful questions to ask: when can I start running again; when can I start changing direction; is there anything I should avoid on a hard floor; and would the walking treadmill test be more suitable for me for now? Write the answers down, because occupational health or your recruitment team may ask what you were told.

Step two

Tell your force: what the guidance says happens next

The College of Policing guidance builds health checks into every job-related fitness test. Declaring an injury is not a black mark: it is how the process is meant to work, and not declaring it can cause problems later.

Before the test: screening

Everyone completes a medical screening questionnaire, including for the alternative treadmill tests. Where practicable forces should send it at least six weeks before the test.
The College's example asks whether you are pregnant or gave birth in the last six months, whether you have any injury, ailment or condition that could inhibit your participation, whether you take prescribed medication, and whether you are being investigated or treated for a heart condition.
A yes to any of those leads to an occupational health referral to decide whether you can take the test.

On the day: declaration

You sign a health declaration confirming you are fit to take part, including whether you are having treatment such as physiotherapy.
The College's example declaration warns that not disclosing a condition may affect any future claim for loss or injury.
The example risk assessment in the College guidance (from the Association of Police Health and Safety Advisors) says candidates must declare any current musculoskeletal injury that could get worse, and instructors must withdraw anyone showing obvious signs of injury.

After a fail: occupational health

If an officer fails the screening, or fails the test because of fitness, a musculoskeletal complaint or ill health, forces must run a structured occupational health referral.
It must include a documented action plan giving a realistic period to improve.
Forces must allow at least two retakes, and at least six weeks between retakes is advisable. These rules are written for serving officers.

Candidates

The College leaves it to each force to decide how the test fits into recruitment, so rebooking, deferral and attempt rules are local.
joiningthepolice.co.uk advises seeking medical advice before starting training if you have not exercised regularly, then starting slowly.
It also says some forces offer a treadmill alternative where a disability or medical condition makes the standard test difficult.

Two force examples (local policy, not national rules)

Kent Police (SOP O43l, reviewed September 2025): if there is a medical reason on the day, the officer does not attempt the test and is referred to occupational health. After a fail there is an occupational health referral unless the cause is obviously temporary, such as a heavy cold, and the second test is normally about six weeks later unless the action plan or occupational health says longer. The SOP says no sanctions apply to officers who fail, or are unable to take, the test due to medical reasons.
Surrey and Sussex (policy 1140/2025): officers on adjusted or recuperative duties may not need to take the test following occupational health advice, and on return get a reasonable amount of time, agreed with occupational health, to regain fitness. After maternity leave the policy says a reasonable time, typically 3 to 6 months, should be allowed.

Your force's policy may be different. Ask your training team or occupational health, or read the policy on your force intranet.

If turning is the problem

Ask about the Chester treadmill test

If your legs can cope with brisk walking but not repeated turns, ask whether your force offers the Chester treadmill police walking test. You walk at 6 km/h while the gradient rises 3% every two minutes, and the police officer target is 10 minutes, which the College sets at the same aerobic standard as 5.4. It is offered at the force's discretion, and the two force policies we read route it through occupational health. Walking uphill still loads the calves and Achilles, so it is not a way to test while still injured.

Read the Chester treadmill test guide

Your next step

Check where you are, then speak to your force

What it involves

A practice run to see where you are. The College of Policing says the bleep test should be used now and then to check progress, not as training.

Move on when

You reach the level you need with something to spare, without pain.

Drop back if

Short of the level: keep training and talk to your force about timing.

Rules that apply at every stage

Warm up first. The NHS suggests 5 to 10 minutes of brisk walking or gentle jogging, and cooling down for 5 to 10 minutes afterwards.
Leave rest days between running sessions. Couch to 5K runs three times a week with rest days in between.
Change one thing at a time: distance, speed or turning, not all three.
Shoes that support your feet properly matter more on a recovering leg. Shuttle running needs grip for the turns.

Turning practice, done gently

Mark out an accurate 15m course on a flat, non-slip surface.
Walk the course and turn at each line, then jog it slowly, well inside the level 1 time of about 6.8 seconds per shuttle.
Alternate the foot you turn on, so you do not load one leg every time.
Only then add the beeps, starting with levels 1 and 2 (about 6.8 and 6.4 seconds per shuttle). The free simulator lets you stop at any level.

Once you are back to normal training, the general method for building towards 5.4 is in how to train for Level 5.4, and the gentler build-up for people starting from a low base is in starting from zero.

Not injured, just out of practice

After illness or a long break

The NHS physical activity guidelines say to speak to your GP first if you have not exercised for some time, or if you have medical conditions or concerns, and to keep the intensity appropriate for your fitness. That applies directly if you are coming back from a long illness, an operation or a long period of sickness absence.

Short illnesses. The College's pre-test conditions for the treadmill tests say you should not be recovering from an illness or have a cold. If you are unwell on test day, say so on the declaration and ask to rebook.
New medication. The College's example questionnaire asks about prescribed medication, and a yes means occupational health looks at it. Do not stop or change a medicine to take a test; talk to your GP.
Heart or chest problems. The questionnaire also asks whether you are being investigated or treated for a heart condition. If you are, do not train hard or test until your doctor and occupational health have cleared you.
Long breaks with no injury. Treat it as a fresh start. joiningthepolice.co.uk itself suggests NHS Couch to 5K for building general fitness, and its running plan is designed to be done in 9 weeks or longer if you need it.

Parental leave

After pregnancy and birth

The College's example screening questionnaire asks whether you are pregnant or have given birth within six months of the test date. A yes means an occupational health referral.
The NHS says that after a straightforward birth you can start gentle exercise such as walking and pelvic floor exercises when you feel up to it, but it is usually a good idea to get advice at your 6-week postnatal check before high-impact exercise such as running. Recovery takes longer after a complicated delivery or a caesarean.
The NHS also notes that ligaments and joints stay more supple for a few months after birth, which raises the risk of injury from stretching or twisting. Shuttle turns involve exactly that kind of twisting, so leave them until late in your return.
Force practice varies. Surrey and Sussex say pregnant officers are not required to take the test, allow typically 3 to 6 months after maternity leave, and offer the treadmill alternative to officers who are breastfeeding.

More on pregnancy, deferrals and the medical side is in the medical exemptions FAQ.

Your test date

Test booked and not ready? What to do

Where you are	Sensible next step
Still in pain, or not yet seen anyone	Do not run. Get it assessed, declare it on the questionnaire and ask your force to rebook. Ask whether an attempt would count before you decide anything.
Cleared to exercise, but only jogging in straight lines	Tell your force where you are. Serving officers should involve occupational health, which can set the timescale in an action plan. Candidates should ask the recruitment team about a later date.
Turning without pain, short of 5.4 in practice	Keep building through the later stages. If the date is close, ask about moving it rather than testing tired and under-prepared.
Lower-limb problem that makes turns unsafe long term	Ask occupational health or your force about the Chester treadmill test.
Back to your previous level, pain-free	Do an occasional practice test to confirm, rest properly beforehand, and follow the test-day guide.

If you have already failed, see what happens if you fail the fitness test for the retake rules. Serving officers can read the annual fitness test guide, and for injuries on duty, injury on duty explained and restricted duties explained.

Worked examples

Four common situations

Illustrative scenarios built from the guidance, not real cases. Outcomes depend on your clinician and your force.

Ankle sprain three weeks before an annual test

The ankle feels better, but the NHS advises avoiding running for up to 8 weeks after a sprain. The officer declares it on the questionnaire, which brings in occupational health, and the test is moved. They work through walking and straight-line running before any turns.

Candidate with shin splints from over-training

The NHS lists starting exercise after a long inactive spell and running on hard surfaces as causes. The candidate switches to swimming while it settles, asks the force about the test date, then rebuilds slowly instead of returning at their old volume.

Officer back after months of sickness absence

They see their GP before restarting, as the NHS suggests after a long time without exercise, and occupational health agrees a timescale. Couch to 5K-style run-walk sessions come first; bleep-paced shuttles come last.

Returning from maternity leave

Gave birth within six months of the test date, so the questionnaire refers them to occupational health. They get advice at the postnatal check before running, and ask what time their force allows before the annual test.

Myths that cause setbacks

"It is only three and a half minutes, I can push through it."

The NHS says not to run in pain. The NHS warns that carrying on with a dull shin pain can lead to a sudden sharp pain that stops you running altogether.

"Declaring an injury will count against me."

Screening is built into the College process, and the health declaration warns that not disclosing a condition may affect a later injury claim. Declaring it is the safer choice.

"If I can jog, I can do the bleep test."

The shuttle run adds 34 stops and turns to reach 5.4. That is why turning comes last in a return, and why the College offers a treadmill alternative for lower-limb injuries.

"I will make up for lost time with a practice test every session."

The College says the bleep test should be used to check progress occasionally, not to train. Repeated all-out tests on a recovering body risk setting you back.

"Complete rest until the pain goes is always best."

For some problems the NHS advises keeping moving: with back pain, stay active; after a sprain, keep the joint moving once pain allows. Your clinician will say which applies.

"The treadmill test means I can test while injured."

It removes the turns, not the effort. Walking briskly up a 12% slope still loads the lower legs, and the force decides whether to offer it.

Checklist

Before you go back to the bleep test

1A GP or physiotherapist has assessed the injury or illness and cleared you to train.
2You have declared it to your force; serving officers have involved their line manager and occupational health.
3You know your force's rules on rebooking, deferral and whether an attempt counts.
4You can run continuously without pain, on more than one occasion.
5You can turn on a 15m course, on both feet, without pain during or the next day.
6You have run bleep-paced shuttles through the early levels without pain.
7A practice test shows you reach the level you need, with some margin.
8If turning is still a problem, you have asked about the treadmill alternative.

If you want a written plan once you are cleared, the paid 6-week plan in the Fitness Pass Suite asks about injuries and asthma and writes around them. It is a training plan, not a rehabilitation programme, and it does not replace your clinician's advice.

Returning after injury FAQ

General information, not medical advice.

Can I do the police bleep test with an injury?

Not if it hurts or a clinician has told you not to. The NHS says not to run if you are in pain and to start again only when you have recovered sufficiently. Tell your force: the College of Policing medical questionnaire asks about any injury that could affect the test, and a yes means an occupational health referral.

How long after a sprained ankle can I do the bleep test?

There is no fixed answer, and a GP or physiotherapist should guide it. The NHS says most sprains and strains feel better after 2 weeks but advises avoiding strenuous exercise such as running for up to 8 weeks, and severe ones can take months. The test involves 34 turns to reach 5.4, which is hard on an ankle that is still healing.

Should I tell my force I am injured before the fitness test?

Yes. The College of Policing screening questionnaire asks whether you have any injury, ailment or condition that could inhibit your participation, and on the day you sign a health declaration that includes treatment such as physiotherapy. The declaration warns that not disclosing a condition may affect a future injury claim.

What happens if I fail the fitness test because of an injury?

For serving officers the College says a fail due to a musculoskeletal complaint or ill health must lead to a structured occupational health referral with a documented action plan and a realistic period to improve. It also says forces must allow at least two retakes, with at least six weeks between them advisable. For candidates, retake and rebooking rules are set by each force.

Can I take the treadmill test instead if my knee or ankle is injured?

Possibly. The College's Chester treadmill tests are designed for officers whose lower-limb injuries stop them doing the shuttle turns, and each force decides when to offer them. The force policies we read route this through occupational health. It is not a way to test while still injured.

I have been off sick for months. How do I get back to 5.4?

Speak to your GP first: the NHS says to do this if you have not exercised for some time or have a medical condition. Then rebuild gradually, starting with walking and run-walk sessions before any shuttle work. Serving officers should involve occupational health; one force policy we read gives a reasonable period, agreed with occupational health, after adjusted or recuperative duties.

Can I do the bleep test after having a baby?

The College questionnaire asks whether you have given birth within six months of the test date, and a yes means an occupational health referral. The NHS says it is usually a good idea to get advice at your 6-week postnatal check before high-impact exercise such as running, and that recovery takes longer after a caesarean or complicated delivery.

Should I do the bleep test with a cold?

The College's pre-test conditions for the treadmill tests say you should not be recovering from illness or have a cold. It does not set the same written rule for the shuttle run, but the on-the-day declaration asks you to confirm you are fit to take part. If you are unwell, tell the administrator and ask to rebook.

Is it safe to practise the bleep test while recovering?

Leave full practice tests until late in your return. Shuttle running adds repeated braking and turning to running, so build up through walking, run-walk and straight-line running first, then slow turns, then early bleep levels. The College also says the bleep test should be used to check progress occasionally, not as training.

Will failing while injured count as one of my attempts?

That is a force rule, so ask before you run. One force policy we read says that if there is a medical reason on the day you will not attempt the test and will be referred to occupational health. The safest course is to declare the injury and ask for the test to be rebooked rather than run.

Who can I see about a running injury on the NHS?

A GP, a pharmacist for early advice, or in many areas NHS community musculoskeletal services, which you can often refer yourself to for physiotherapy without seeing a GP. NHS physiotherapy is free but waiting times can be long. If you go private, the NHS advises choosing a chartered physiotherapist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.

When should I stop a training session straight away?

Stop if you feel pain, dizziness or chest discomfort. The NHS says to call 999 for sudden chest pain that does not go away, pain spreading to the arms, neck, jaw or back, or chest pain with sweating, sickness, light-headedness or breathlessness. For an injury that is very painful or that you cannot put weight on, use NHS 111.

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Related fitness guides

Alternative test Chester Treadmill Test → Health questions Medical Exemptions → Serving officers Annual Fitness Test → Retakes If You Fail →

Sources

All accessed 6 October 2026. NHS review dates are as shown on each page that day.

College of Policing, Implementation guidance for fitness testing (August 2021, PDF): occupational health referral after a fail due to a musculoskeletal complaint or ill health (p 8), retakes (p 20), medical screening questionnaire and health declaration (pp 23 to 24, Appendices B and D), model risk assessment (Appendix C), treadmill pre-test conditions (pp 13 and 17).
College of Policing, Job-related fitness standards: treadmill alternative for lower-limb injuries, test not to be used for training, training tips. Read via the College's print mirror.
joiningthepolice.co.uk, What's involved in the fitness test: seek medical advice before training if you have not exercised regularly, treadmill alternatives in some forces, Couch to 5K suggestion.
Kent Police, Job related fitness test SOP (O43l): reviewed September 2025; read from the Wayback Machine copy of 14 October 2025.
Surrey Police and Sussex Police, Job Related Fitness Test Policy 1140/2025 (PDF): PDF dated 27 October 2025.
NHS, Sprains and strains: last reviewed 23 April 2024.
NHS, Shin splints: last reviewed 9 February 2023.
NHS, Knee pain and other running injuries: last reviewed 25 November 2022.
NHS, Plantar fasciitis: last reviewed 14 February 2025.
NHS, Back pain: last reviewed 5 March 2026.
NHS, Knee pain: last reviewed 21 December 2023.
NHS, Physiotherapy: self-referral, waiting times, choosing a private physiotherapist. Last reviewed 3 April 2025.
NHS, Get running with Couch to 5K: first-week runs, three runs a week with rest days, 9 weeks or longer.
NHS, Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64: speak to a GP first after a long break or with a medical condition. Last reviewed 22 May 2024.
NHS, How to warm up before exercising: stop if you feel pain or become unwell. Last reviewed 24 June 2026.
NHS, Keeping fit and healthy with a baby: advice at the 6-week postnatal check before running, longer recovery after caesarean, more supple joints. Last reviewed 20 April 2026.
NHS, Chest pain: when to call 999. Last reviewed 8 August 2023 (review was due 8 August 2026).

Not verified

How long after a given injury it is safe to do a shuttle run. No NHS or College source gives a timescale for the bleep test specifically, so we give none.
Whether a test you cannot finish because of injury counts as an attempt. This is set by each force; we found one force policy that covers medical reasons on the day.
National rules on deferring a recruit's fitness test for injury. We found none; recruitment arrangements are left to forces.
Whether the Kent and Surrey and Sussex policies have changed since the versions we read.
Some NHS pages we cite were past their own next-review date when we read them (shin splints, chest pain, running injuries). We used them as published on 6 October 2026.

PolicePay is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the College of Policing, the NHS or any police force. General training information, not medical advice. Stop if you feel pain, dizziness or chest discomfort, and see a GP before you start if you have a health condition, an injury or are pregnant. No tool can guarantee a pass. Last reviewed 6 October 2026.