Episode 49: Returning to Running for Postnatal Mums with Physiotherapist Rebecca Sabine

Running to the Core Podcast

In this podcast Physiotherapist Rebecca Sabine talks about issues affecting postnatal return to running and how having a plan that targets the specific needs of your body helps as you return to running and exercise after having a baby or children.

Rebecca (Beck) is a Women’s, Men’s and Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist (APA titled) with a special interest in recreational running. She is a Director of Vital Core Physiotherapy in the heart of Adelaide’s Eastern Suburbs, which has been established for 20 years this year, with her business partner Tory Toogood.

Beck is a runner herself, having run park runs, marathons and ultra marathons. She is planning to do a half marathon at the end of this year. In her running group there are a wide range of ages up to sixty, seventy and eighty, which highlights the perspective of the longevity of running over your lifespan, as you take time to return to running postnatally.

Whether your baby is 4 to 6 weeks old, 12 months, or 2, 5 or 10 years old, Rebecca encourages you to seek specific support from a women’s and pelvic health physiotherapist and ask the questions about “What will it take to get me back to running or playing sport”.

Ideally when you are pregnant is a great time to make a plan with your physiotherapist for your postnatal recovery, but It’s never too late to get you back to a level of exercise if your children are older and you are now getting time for yourself. In this podcast Beck talks about the 6 R’s which are guidelines for the readiness to run and return to sport, including the review of your running as you improve, and how being aware of the specific needs of your body allows you to target the areas that are the most important for you.

During pregnancy your shape changes, with the gluts, which are critical for running, often being weaker, and your abdominal wall and pelvic floor have also changed. Specific strengthening and training will help to reduce hip, back and lower limb problems as you return to running.

Postnatal issues including reduced sleep, stress, your nutrition, and pregnancy and breastfeeding altering your hormonal state, all impact your ability to build muscle and gain strength.

Beck highlights that “If you are not sleeping, you are not going to build muscle or perform as well, be it in running or in your chosen sport, and your body can’t heal let alone build if you are not fuelling it properly, which can be really hard to do in the early postnatal months when time for yourself is limited”.

So, it is recommended that you build yourself up slowly as you return to running and use the support available from your Physiotherapist, who will take these issues into consideration.

For more information visit:

Vital Core Physiotherapy at www.vitalcore.com.au

on Instagram @vitalcorephysio

on Facebook

Vital Core Physiotherapy on Linked In.

To find out more about the 6 R's - Reframing return to sport postpartum: the 6Rs Framework.

For an introduction to mSwing listen to Podcast 27: 5 Minutes on mSwing with Marietta Mehanni

For more information visit The Pregnancy Centre at www.thepregnancycentre.com.au