Return to running injury free, as a new mum.
You have managed to get some time to fit in some exercise, FANTASTIC!!! Running after having a baby can be a great way to get out of the house.
Dust off the old runners and get at it. One foot in front of the next, just like you have done in the past. After all, running is running, right? Or is there more to running? Could pregnancy have altered the biomechanics of your running technique?
It might be stating the obvious but your body changes during pregnancy. The body increases in mass and changes the way it distributes that mass. Changes also occur to the strength of muscles and tendons. I could just talk on each of these alone yet if you are looking after young children, then there is a fair chance that me talking about the release of relaxin hormone and joint laxity of the pelvic girdle may put you to sleep. So I will focus more on the biomechanics.
Here is what the science says about running during or soon after pregnancy. Stick with me I will explain it.
Researches looked at the way women move when they are pregnant and noticed that it is different when compared to women who have never been pregnant. No surprises there.
It showed that pregnant women moved slower and took smaller steps. They spent more time with both feet on the ground and had their feet wider apart. All this makes a lot of sense, as it is what you would want to have, a stable safe gait and reduce the chance of falling.
The most surprising part of this is that pregnancy-related changes exist for up to eight months after giving birth. This is extremely important to know if you are about to start running again!
When returning to running it is important to ensure you have enough strength in your pelvic region. This includes your hips, lower back and abdominal region. After eight months it would be ideal if that occurred but sometimes it hasn’t.
Runners have reported up to 79% of them getting injured in some way each year. One of my favourite group of runners to work with are mums who are looking to start running after having kids. I endeavour to do all I can to keep you in that injury free side of the equation.
This is how I help… I will assess your running gait and break down how your body functions. Thus, we will look to minimise the risk of injuries during running. Preventing these injuries can be quite simple.
Unfortunately, as an osteopath, I usually consult once problems have developed. Often these are with your back, hips, iliotibial bands (ITB), knee, Achilles or feet. These are usually avoidable. I can, of course, work with you once you are injured. I do this every day. My passion lies with helping people; it makes more sense to help people prevent pain and injury than to just fix it.
As many of you who know me will understand, I thrive to keep people happy and active, doing activities they love. I want to keep you running for longer and achieving your goals.
I hope the above information has been of use to you and make sure to give me a call or make an appointment if you have more questions.
Yours in good health,
Daniel Wood