Returning to exercise safely

Congratulations on your new arrival! Many new parents wish to return to exercise after their baby has arrived, especially if they have been unable to participate in high impact activities such as running during pregnancy. New moms often rush back into exercise after they have been cleared by their doctor at their six week appointment; however a significant percentage of moms are not ready for high impact work at this early stage post-birth:

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• 29% of moms experience incontinence post-birth (Fritel et al 2004)

• 10% of women aged 20 - 40 years experience a pelvic floor disorder, and this increases with age (Nygaard et al 2008)

• 60% of moms who were 6 weeks post-birth have a diastasis recti abdominis (separation of abdominal muscles) of greater than 2 centimeters (Sperstad 2016)

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Having experienced stress incontinence after returning to high impact exercise too quickly after my first delivery, as a therapist I am uniquely placed to be able to empathize with and support women who may be experiencing these symptoms. I was able to use my knowledge of pelvic floor rehabilitation to remediate my own symptoms, and I am passionate about sharing this knowledge with my clients. I develop tailored core and pelvic floor rehab plans for women who are pregnant, newly post-birth or may have been experiencing symptoms for several years after having children; it is never too late to treat core and pelvic floor disorders.