How To Start Running After Childbirth
Hello friends! Today I would like to go over return to running guidelines during the post-partum phase post childbirth!
Very often after giving birth most people have a checkup with their OB at 6 weeks postpartum and are discharged for full activity, even if their bodies are not ready. As a result, many people resume high intensity physical activity without proper strength, intra-abdominal pressure management, or mobility, which results in increased incidence and severity of pain, incontinence, abdominal separation (DRA), and Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP). Even though these conditions are common, they are not normal, and it is important to keep this in mind while managing symptoms with return to high level activity.
Guidelines for Progression of Strength and Endurance Post-Delivery
Current guidelines state that it is important to complete a gradual strengthening progression for up to 12 weeks before starting to run. Lower extremity strengthening and mobility can and should begin immediately after birth prior to the 6 weeks check with the OB per the guideline. This can be done in a systematic manner, with exercises including pelvic tilting, sidelying abduction and walking to start, with progression to squatting, lunging, and bridging to improve ease with completion of functional activities.
It is also advised for every person post childbirth after the 6-week OB check to get assessed by a pelvic floor physical therapist, especially if they are presenting with heaviness in the abdomen, abdominal separation, incontinence, or pelvic pain. A pelvic floor PT will evaluate and assess the strength and mobility of your pelvic floor and how it interacts with the rest of your body during functional movement patterns, in order to have the best outcome for return to previous level of activity.
The return to running guidelines also provide a load and management impact assessment in order to determine readiness for return to running. The assessment includes being able to walk 30 minutes, single leg balance 10 sec each side, single leg squat 10x each side, forward bounds, hopping and single UE/LE running man as well as strength testing of all major lower leg muscle groups. The following would have to be able to be completed without heaviness, dragging, pain, or incontinence. Once a person can complete all the listed above, they would be able to begin to return to jogging. Care should be taken to not do too much at once in order to prevent injury.
These updated guidelines are helpful to aid with return to running in a safe manner to prevent injury in the immediate post-partum phase. If you have any questions about return to running or want to seek treatment during post-partum, feel free to contact us at Center for Spine Care and Mobility today!
Reference: Goom, Tom & Donnelly, Grainne & Brockwell, Emma. (2019) Returning to running postnatal-guidelines for medical, health and fitness professionals managing this population [10.13140/RG.2.2.35256.90880/2]
