Returning to running or sport after having a baby
Returning to running or sport after having a baby isn’t quite as simple as tick at your 6 week post-natal review. Pregnancy and childbirth is the biggest physiological event a women’s body will go through in a lifetime, and there are a number of key factors to be considered for a mothers safe return to exercise (listed below).
Not to mention every womens pregnancy and birth experience is different so there isn’t simply a one size fits most approach.
Factors to be considered:
Pre-pregnancy and pregnancy conditioning
Lower back, pelvic or hip postural changes
Abdominal lengthening and separation (diastasis)
Lengthening and stretch of the pelvic floor muscles and fascia, especially after vaginal delivery
Type of delivery and birth factors including instrumental, large baby size, extended 2nd stage (pushing) of 60 minutes or more
Pelvic floor injury sustained during birth
Pelvic floor dysfunction during pregnancy or post-natal recovery, including leaking urine on a cough or sneeze
Functional fitness for day to day activity (including caring for older children)
Your goals for return to exercise
Inadequate assessment, rehab and pre-conditioning before returning to higher load activity such as running and sport can lead to symptoms of incontinence, pain or pelvic organ prolapse.
If you want to start running or plan to return to sport, the best place to start is to have an assessment with a Womens’ Health Physiotherapist to help determine whether you are run-ready and plan your safe return to exercise through your first 12 months of post-natal recovery.
Facts about returning to running
Running increases our intra-abdominal pressure and delivers a ground reaction force with every step of 2.5 x our BODYWEIGHT – which needs to be absorbed through our pelvic floor and abdominal wall. A well-functioning pelvic floor can activate and contract just before your foot hits the ground to match ground reaction force. Failure to absorb these forces correctly can result in bladder leakage (incontinence), chronic pain or prolapse symptoms – leading to premature cessation of running or long term injuries if ignored.
Getting your pelvic floor ready to run
Research and anecdotal evidence indicates that around 50% of women don’t engage their pelvic floor properly – whether that be not knowing how to turn it on or off. So our training starts here, optimising functional recruitment of the pelvic floor in isolation and then in co-ordination with running specific exercises/ movements including single leg squats, lunges and steps ups.
Treatment and training also focus on breathing patterns, abdominal wall recruitment and pelvic stabilisation – all which impact how the pelvic floor performs and keeps you running safely and confidently.
A well-functioning pelvic floor is essential for daily and is vital for running, don’t overlook it!
Our Women’s Health Physiotherapist’s Amy and Nicole not only bring a wealth of knowledge and experience as Physiotherapists, but they know motherhood too. Each with 2 daughters of their own, they have experienced pregnancy, birth and beyond.
To book a Women’s Health Assessment, call Bowral on 4861 1223 or head to our online bookings page.
For more information on our other Women’s Health topics and services click here.