“Beyond 6 Weeks: When Is It Really Safe to Return to Running Postpartum?”

Written by Heather Minnich - Pelvic Health Physiotherapist

There is a widely accepted belief that the first six weeks postpartum should focus on rest, with only gentle movement such as walking or yoga. But what happens after that six-week mark? Does your body suddenly become ready for exercise, with no restrictions?

The reality is that recovery after pregnancy and birth doesn’t follow a strict timeline. There isn’t an “overnight” change at six weeks that means you are automatically ready to return to running or higher-impact exercise.

Instead, returning to running should be guided by your individual recovery.

At Hills Pelvic Physiotherapy, we believe there are important factors beyond time postpartum that determine when it is appropriate to return to running. This is the focus of our postnatal and female athlete assessments. We assess the strength, function, and coordination of the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, and how these systems are recovering after pregnancy and delivery.

Our approach is guided by the Return to Running Postnatal Guidelines developed by Goom, Donnelly and Brockwell (2019).

Running is a high-impact activity that places significant demands on the body.

After having a baby, your body required adequate time to heal, rebuild strength, and restore coordination. A key part of this process is screening for any pelvic floor or abdominal wall symptoms that may influence the timing of your return to running. These symptoms can include:

• A feeling of heaviness or dragging in the pelvic area

• Urinary leakage or difficulty controlling bowel movements

• A noticeable gap along the midline of the abdominal wall

• Pelvic or lower back pain

• Ongoing bleeding not related to your menstrual cycle

Addressing these symptoms early is essential to ensure a safe and sustainable return to exercise. We also focus on ensuring you have adequate strength and coordination through your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles to cope with the demands of running.

This begins with controlled, low-load exercises and gradually progresses to functional, whole-body movements, including weighted strength work and impact-based exercises. There are also several broader factors that can influence your readiness to return to running, including:

• Wearing a supportive, well-fitted sports bra (especially with pregnancy and breastfeeding-related changes)

• Sleep quality and its impact on recovery and performance

• Adequate energy availability to support healing and physical demands

A safe return to running should follow a graded and individualised approach. This starts with building a strong foundation through targeted strength training, particularly focusing on the abdominal wall and lower limbs, before progressing to a structured running program. From there, running volume and intensity can be gradually increased to reduce the risk of injury or pelvic floor symptoms.

We recommend that all women undergo an assessment with a pelvic health physiotherapist before returning to running, especially if they are experiencing any symptoms of concern.

Ultimately, our goal is to support women in returning to the activities they love in a way that feels strong, confident, and sustainable while also supporting both physical and mental wellbeing.

References:

Goom T, Donnelly G, Brockwell E. Return to running postnatal – guidelines for medical, health and fitness professionals managing this population. 2019