WHEN CAN I RUN POSTPARTUM?
by Alison Brunson, PT, DPT, CSCS, PCES
I’ve always incorporated running into my fitness lifestyle. I ran the Chicago Marathon in 2022, but since then, I would run for exercise/pleasure only - maybe 5 miles here & there. During my pregnancy, I stopped running pretty early on. I hadn’t run in almost a full calendar year. My postpartum journey was very much a fresh start.
Here’s what I did to get going… AND not injury myself.
The first 12 weeks postpartum, I focused on rebuilding a solid base. I gave myself time to recover. Just because I could physically do something, doesn’t mean I should - at least, not right now. I monitored myself for fatigue, depression, decreased milk production, aches, and prolonged soreness - and remember to reduce your workout volume, if any occurs.
Priorities During the First 3 to 4 Months:
Progress SLOWLY
Monitor pelvic floor and abdominals for any issues
Build up full body strength
Questions to Self Reflect:
What was life like before pregnancy?
Were you active, running before pregnancy, healthy & fit?
What was labor and delivery like?
Any issues or unplanned events?
Do you have any current aches/pains? Pelvic floor issues?
Sacroiliac Joint or low back pain?
Diastasis recti, prolapse, incontinence, pelvic floor pain?
What have you been doing post pregnancy?
Abdominal exercises, walking, strength training, any cardio?
Have you given your body time to heal?
Research Based Assessments:
There is current research that has provided a checklist for healthcare providers to review with their patients prior to running. Typically, it would be used around the 12-16 week postpartum mark. *Always check with a healthcare provider prior to starting a new workout routine - especially after childbirth.
Use this assessment as a starting point to self-reflect on your physical abilities. If you find an area of weakness during the assessment, think of it as a guide for your return, not necessarily as a strict barrier.
I started my return to run program at 16 weeks because that’s when I felt most confident to return to high impact. Remember - running is repetitive, high impact. From weeks 12 to 16, I was exercising consistently, doing strength based workouts, incline walking and light jogging.
At 16 weeks, I started my “couch to 5k” program to give me a goal but also, to restrict myself from doing too much, too quickly. I attached that program to another blog because it’s a general return-to-run program - check it out here. It is 6 weeks of a slow progression to running. I was mindful of any symptoms and adjusted my time/intensity as necessary. It was definitely slow, and at times I wanted to do more. But I kept in mind - injuries hinder the training progress and in the long run, it will create major setbacks.
The research based self assessment comes from Tom Goom, Grainne Donnelly, and Emma Brockwell. Read their full paper online, published March 2019 - Returning to running postnatal - guidelines for medical, health and fitness professionals managing this population.
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