Getting Back to Running and Impact Exercise After Having A Baby
As an Accredited Exercise Physiologist working in women’s health, I know very well that there has been a significant gap in research and support provided to new mums who want to get back into impact-based activities like running. Some fantastic new research has come out that provides a framework for new mums and health professionals to help bridge this gap. Let’s check it out!
A post-partum runner refers to anyone who identifies as a runner, regardless of mileage or frequency, and has had a baby, regardless of time since childbirth.
There are a number of assessments that should be conducted prior to running. A Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist (PFP) is the best placed person to look directly at signs and symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, and a women’s health Exercise Physiologist (AEP) is the best placed person to look at lower extremity and lumbopelvic strength, and balance. Your AEP will then work collaboratively with your PFP to screen and provide progressive load and impact challenges to assess provocation or exacerbation of symptoms. This period of loading is critical to minimize risk of injury or further issues by going back to running too early.
There are also several biopsychosocial factors that we need to consider (this is a fancy way of saying that we need to look at you holistically). We know that other factors influencing our ability to return to impact exercise are sleep, lactation concerns, hydration, fatigue and mental health, along with other pre-existing conditions. Your AEP will screen for these factors and may refer you to other health professionals (such as your pelvic floor physiotherapist, psychologist, dietitian, podiatrist etc.) for management. This may include support items like intravaginal support, continence devices, absorbent products, a well-fitting bra (super under-rated!), compression garments and footwear. It may also include further running-specific education around your current training level, hydration and nutrition.
Based on all these factors, we know that there is no perfect timeline for when you may be able to return to running or impact exercise (but we do know it shouldn’t happen within the first 12 weeks). It is so important that you get an individualised plan and are involved in shared decision making. You may require a multi-disciplinary healthcare team, but if you’re not sure where to start, seeing an AEP for a post-partum assessment is a great starting point!
Remember: Working with a Women’s Health Accredited Exercise Physiologist can help to bridge the gap between the early days of post-partum period, and getting back to your desired exercise level, particularly in the context of impact exercise like running.
I’d love to have a chat to help you get started – you can book your postpartum assessment via the following link: https://truenorth.au1.cliniko.com/bookings?business_id=1828&practitioner_id=107330&appointment_type_id=1624175342321140913
Tamika Hassum
Women’s Health Accredited Exercise Physiologist
The image above is from the following paper from leading women’s health researchers titled: ‘Clinical and Exercise Professional Opinion of Return-To-Running Readiness After Childbirth: An International Delphi Study and Consensus Statement’ (https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/58/6/299.full.pdf)