returning to running

Running is a popular form of exercise for the perinatal population, but there is little advice on returning to running after childbirth. Here you can find some guidance.

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Where Do I start?

an INDIVIDUALIZED approach, guided by an exercise professional is RECOMMENDED to avoid or minimize pelvic floor dysfunction, and to determine if you are recovering from pregnancy-related and childbirth-related changes.

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What Will Assessments and plans look like?

There are many factors that go into the decision making process of returning to running. Some women can run through there entrie pregnancy symptom free, and others experience discomfort early on. Lots of it is simply listening to your body closely.

When assessing your readiness, a pelvic floor kinesiologist or PHYSIOTHERAPIST will look at things like:

• Biomechanics:

  • Pelvic floor muscle strength, endurance, and coordination

  • Symptoms of incontinence

  • Symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse

  • Lumbopelvic strength

  • Lower extremity strength

  • Interrectus distance

  • Balance and proprioception

  • Running gait
    
    

• Load and Impact:

  • hopping, planks, step ups, single leg squats, wall sits

  • Ability to walk for 30 minutes without symptoms

• biopsychosocial factors:

  • Mental health

  • Fatigue

  • Sleep quality and habits

  • Milk supply

  • Hydration status
    
    

• training history, current capacity, goals and training preferences

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It is important to remember that the pelvic floor muscles are like any other muscle that must undergo rehab. For example, if you sprained your ankle, you wouldn’t go for a long run as soon as it felt better. INStead, you would take gradual steps to avoid re-injury. The same applies to the pelvic floor. Although you have medical CLEARANCE after 6 weeks, you have to build up the pelvic floor muscles tolerance before putting excessive stress and strain on it.