How to Safely Return to Running Postpartum
If you’ve been itching to get back to running after having a baby, whether you were an avid runner before pregnancy, or are now looking to start fresh postpartum, it’s important to know how to do it safely. Returning to running without causing injury or exacerbating pelvic floor issues requires a bit of preparation.
Why Is Returning to Running Postpartum Such a Big Deal?
Running is a high-impact activity that places significant demands on your body, particularly your pelvic floor. It’s not just about lacing up your shoes and going for a jog—you’re dealing with forces that can affect your pelvic floor muscles, which need to contract and relax in a very specific way as you run.
After childbirth, whether you had a vaginal delivery or a C-section, your pelvic floor may not respond automatically to these demands like it once did. If you jump right back into running without addressing these changes, you could experience issues like incontinence, pelvic heaviness, or even prolapse. This is why it’s so important to ease back into running with intentional preparation.
The Science Behind It: What Happens When You Run?
Running involves repetitive high-impact forces on your body. Each time your foot hits the ground, the impact is about 1.6 to 2.5 times your body weight! This sudden force creates a spike in intra-abdominal pressure, which in turn stresses the pelvic floor. For the pelvic floor to function properly during running, it has to contract and relax repeatedly in response to these forces. But if your pelvic floor isn’t ready to do this automatically post-birth, you risk injuring it.
Research shows that high-impact activities like running demand a lot from your pelvic floor muscles. Without adequate preparation, these demands can lead to dysfunction. That's why it's crucial to rehab the pelvic floor and core before diving into running.
How to Prepare Your Body for Running Postpartum
Before you hit the streets, you need to lay the foundation for a strong, resilient pelvic floor and core. Here’s how you can do it in phases:
Phase 1: Reconnect with Your Breath
Breathing might seem simple, but it’s a vital step in rebuilding your pelvic floor function. Start by learning diaphragmatic breathing—this will help you re-establish the connection between your breath, core, and pelvic floor. When done correctly, diaphragmatic breathing engages your core and pelvic floor, setting the stage for stronger movements in later phases.
Phase 2: Progress Into Functional Movements
Once you’re comfortable with diaphragmatic breathing, it’s time to integrate it into functional movements. This doesn’t mean you’re jumping into high-impact exercises yet! Begin with low-load, low-intensity movements that activate your pelvic floor and core. As you progress, you can gradually increase the load and intensity.
Running demands strength and endurance in all directions—forward, sideways, and rotationally—so your rehab program should reflect this. This will help ensure your pelvic floor is prepared for the full range of motion required for running. Exercises may look like the following; lateral lunge, pallof press, banded RDL, side plank, tabletop marching, forward jumps, bounding.
Phase 3: Assessments & Tests
You’ve worked on your breath and basic movements. Now, it’s time for some assessments to ensure your body is ready for the impact of running. These assessments will gauge your pelvic floor strength, endurance, and your ability to handle running’s repetitive demands. Here are the 3 tests I recommend:
Pelvic Floor Assessment – Ensures your pelvic floor is functioning properly.
Strength Assessment – Tests your core strength and pelvic floor endurance.
Impact Test – Evaluates how well your body tolerates the impact of running without pain or dysfunction.
These tests will help you assess if you're truly ready to return to running.
Phase 4: A Gradual Return to Running
Once you’ve completed the assessments and “passed” them, it’s time for the fun part—running! But don’t rush into it. Start with a gradual approach, using the 1:2 ratio (1 part running, 2 parts walking). Slowly increase your running time and decrease your walking as your body adapts.
Phase 5: Evaluate Your Post-Run Symptoms
Don’t skip this! After your run, check in with your body. Do you feel any pelvic heaviness, urinary leakage, or pain in your hips, back, or pelvic area? Pay attention to how you feel immediately after your run, as well as 24-48 hours later. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s a sign that you may have pushed yourself too hard, and you’ll need to slow down and reassess your progress.
Final Thoughts
Returning to running postpartum takes patience and preparation. By following a structured and progressive approach to pelvic floor and core rehabilitation, you can reduce the risk of injury, and ensure a safer return to running. Remember to take things slow and listen to your body—it’s all about building a solid foundation to support your running goals.
If you’re ready to get started with these steps or need guidance on how to tailor them to your body, I’m here to help!
