Womens Health

I have heard of people changing their training around their menstrual cycle, is this something I should do?
This is something that we can look to do with aspects of our training, however, we also need to consider that we will be competing at different times during our cycle (which we cannot control) and there may be some benefit to training through all stages of our cycle.
It can be important in some aspects, for example; we are at a higher risk of injury at days 9-14 of our cycle so introducing new plyometrics in the gym at that stage wouldn’t be the best idea.

Are there times in my menstrual cycle where I will be more susceptible to injury?
Yes! Over days ~9-14 (in a normal 28 day cycle) there will be an increase in ligament laxity secondary to an increase in oestrogen. This makes women more susceptible to injuries such as ACL ruptures during this time.

How does menopause affect my risk of injury?
Yes. Due to the reduction of oestrogen we see an increase in tendon injuries (tendinopathies and tendon ruptures). We can also start to see an increase in bone injuries (ie. fractures) as bone density reduces.
Despite this, it is important to keep exercising as exercise will be one of the easiest ways to reduce the risk of both tendon and boney injuries.

Can physio help with urinary leakage? I have always struggled when skipping.
Yes, definitely! Approximately 80% of women who haven’t had children will leak with skipping. We also know that 1 in 3 women postpartum struggle with continence. It is important to know there are a lot of conservative things that can be done to help manage continence, and all of the practitioners at The Injury Clinic are equipped with the skills to help you manage. 

Should I be exercising during pregnancy?
Yes, as long as you don’t have any contraindications to exercise. If you aren’t sure, you can check our ‘Exercise During Pregnancy’ page and have a chat with your primary carer.
There is some evidence that shows reduced complications during delivery, and a better postpartum recovery if women are able to continue to exercise during pregnancy. 

What do I need to do to get back to running after having my baby?

1. It is important to wait at least 12 weeks before returning to running postpartum. 
2. See a women’s health physio for a pelvic floor assessment and clearance.
3. It is worth checking in with the team at The Injury Clinic to make sure you are using all the right muscles in the right ways. This will reduce your injury risk in long term. 

For more information, check out our ‘Return to Running Postpartum page’.