Ready, Set, Run

What the Evidence Says About Returning to Running After Baby

Running is efficient, free, mood-boosting, convenient, and unsurprisingly, one of the first forms of exercise many new mums want to reclaim. Yet up to 32 % of postpartum runners report urinary leakage, pelvic heaviness or pain when they lace up too soon.¹ Seeking out professional guidance keeps the finish-line in sight while protecting the pelvic floor and other muscles from injury.

When is it “safe” to start?

An international Delphi consensus published in British Journal of Sports Medicine recommends a multifactorial clearance at, or after, 12 weeks postpartum and only if the runner is symptom-free at rest and with low-impact loading (walking, stair climbing).¹ Earlier (2019) “Return-to-Running Postnatal Guidelines” echo this timeline but add a red-flag checklist—heaviness, leakage, or musculoskeletal pain mean not yet.² Both documents emphasise that 3–6 months postpartum is a more realistic window for most.

How important are Pelvic Floor Exercises?

Pelvic floor exercises are essential if considering a running program! A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis which included more than 21 000 women found that targeted pelvic-floor muscle training reduced the odds of postpartum urinary incontinence by 37 % and pelvic-organ prolapse by 56 %.³ Pelvic Floor Exercises should be integrated into all return-to-sport strength and conditioning programs for postpartum women.

What about Prolapse?

Could running itself harm the pelvic floor? A 2023 narrative scoping review reports that strenuous sport may worsen prolapse symptoms in susceptible women, yet parity (number of births) remains the dominant risk factor.⁴ Translation: if you are already at risk of a prolapse running may uncover symptoms.

Your Women’s Health Physiotherapist can take objective measurements to determine whether you are at risk of pelvic organ prolapse and guide your return to run.

Your “ready-to-run” self-check

1. Symptom audit – zero heaviness, leakage, or pain during daily tasks.¹

2. Functional strength – effortless sit-to-stand, single-leg calf raises × 20 each side, and brisk 30-min walk without symptoms.²

3. Pelvic-floor capacity – 10 strong, pain-free maximal contractions + 10-sec endurance hold, verified by a pelvic-health physio if possible.³

4. Psychological readiness – confidence >7/10 and sleep ≥ 5 h (broken) in 24 h.¹

   
   

Tick every box? Start with a walk-run interval program (e.g., 1 min jog : 2 min walk × 6) two to three times weekly, adding one minute of continuous running per session if symptom-free.

Check out our 'Mother Runner' Program for a specific loading protocol including audio-guided runs and home strengthening videos. This program is designed to guide you safely and effectively back to running.

Explore Mother Runner Program

Signs to hit “pause”

• New or increased pelvic-floor symptoms (heaviness, bulge, leakage)

• Joint or wound pain (e.g, Caesarean scar)

• Unusual bleeding after lochia has ceased

  
  

A temporary regression to brisk walking plus daily PFMT usually resolves mild flare-ups, but consult a pelvic-health physiotherapist for anything persistent.

Running after childbirth isn’t just possible—it’s healthy and empowering when approached like any rehab program: evidence-guided, progressive, and pelvic-floor-smart.

If you’re unsure where to start, our women’s-health team at Female Focus Physiotherapy can tailor a plan and perform a run-readiness screen.

Book a Run-Readiness Screen

By Erin

References 

1. Christopher SM, Donnelly G, Brockwell E, et al. Clinical and exercise professional opinion of return-to-running readiness after childbirth: an international Delphi study and consensus statement. Br J Sports Med. 2024;58(6):299-312.

2. Goom T, Donnelly G, Brockwell E. Returning to running postnatal—guidelines for medical, health and fitness professionals managing this population. Published 2019.

3. Beamish NF, Davenport MH, Ali MU, et al. Impact of postpartum exercise on pelvic floor disorders and diastasis recti abdominis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2024. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2024-108619

4. Bø K, Anglès-Acedo S, Batra A, et al. Strenuous physical activity, exercise, and pelvic organ prolapse: a narrative scoping review. Int Urogynecol J. 2023;34:1153-1164.