After having my first child, I found myself in my OB doctor’s office at 6 weeks being cleared to return to activity. I thought “Yes! This is great! I can run!” It was summertime and I was happy to get back out there. The next day I went out with my husband for a stroller walk and attempted my first jog. It felt absolutely terrible. My pelvis HURT. I felt so unstable and every step was just plain painful. As a physical therapist who helps others with pain, I was so discouraged. Why was this so hard? I felt like I was sent back out into the world to exercise after having a baby with very little guidance, especially on how to return to run.
In sports physical therapy, there are very clear and specific guidelines for someone who tears their ACL, has surgery, and wants to return to run. So shouldn’t we be doing something similar in postpartum? Having a baby can take a toll on the body in a similar way that an injury or surgery can. Therefore, we need to train the pelvis, and really the entire body, to return to impact activities like running in a similar way. This allows the tissues in our bodies – muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones – to adapt and respond to demands. Training for impact is such an important component to postpartum recovery and return to running, yet often times missing in the process. Progressive impact training should be done at a slow and steady pace, always checking in with the pelvis for any pressure, pain, or leakage. If you are wondering if you might benefit from impact training or want to take the next steps to get back into running, let’s chat!
