So, you have had your baby and are ready to get back into running. At The Injury Clinic, these are the things we feel are important to tick off before you get back into running.
Please note, there are no specific time frames on these stages as there are aspects of each stage that we need to ‘tick off’ before you return to running regardless of how far post partum you are.
The focus at this stage will be on education around maintaining exercise during pregnancy, and what to expect in the transition to training post-partum.
Maintain regular exercise as appropriate and as guided by your primary carer through your pregnancy.
The focus at this stage is to review your needs, both from a musculoskeletal and pelvic health perspective, and establish an appropriate plan.
The focus at this stage will be on restoring strength and control while monitoring your progress.
At this stage, we will focus on sport specific training. An example would be introducing plyometrics for those women who want to return to running.
The goal at this stage is to be appropriately conditioned for a return to your normal running capacity. This might be a 15minute run, three days a week, it might be a marathon.
An adverse sign or symptom would be any indication of musculoskeletal, pelvic floor or abdominal dysfunction.
Some signs and symptoms include;
– Persistent pain, particularly if it is aggravated by activity.
– Leaking urine or an increased urgency to urinate.
– Inability to control bowel movements or an increased urgency.
– A heaviness/pressure/bulge/dragging in pelvic floor area.
– Pain with intercourse.
– Separated abdominal muscles and/or decreased abdominal strength and function. This may include ‘doming’ of the tummy.
– Lower back or pelvic pain.
– Ongoing or increased blood loss, particularly if this is past 8 weeks postpartum. If you do have any significant changes to your blood loss (ie. increased volume, change in colour/smell), make sure you get in touch with your primary carer.
**This list is not extensive, so there may be other things you are experiencing that are worth mentioning to your primary carer or Physiotherapist.
If you’re interested in booking an appointment with one of our team members, contact our clinic today and we’ll be happy to find time for a consultation.
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