After finishing the physical and mental marathon that is pregnancy, it can be tempting to jump back into your old exercise routine.
But when your medical provider clears you for exercise, typically around six weeks postpartum, that's not the end of your postpartum journey—it's still the beginning of your recovery.
The PT-led Vagercise course for pelvic floor exercise and education includes a Return to High-Impact Exercise series designed for activities like running, HIIT classes, weightlifting, and sports like tennis and pickleball.
You need strength and coordination in your pelvic floor and core muscles to handle the demands of running, jumping and sudden movements.
Without a strong foundation, you're more prone to pelvic floor issues like bladder leaks, diastasis recti and pelvic organ prolapse—as well as injuries that arise from muscle imbalances and weakness.
No matter how fit you were going into pregnancy, every part of your body changed to accommodate your growing child.
During pregnancy, the hormone relaxin loosened the ligaments around your joints to make childbirth possible, and muscles in your pelvic floor, abs, hips and low back became stretched and strained.
Pregnancy aside, active women are already more likely to suffer pelvic floor issues because of greater demands on their body. One study showed that athletes have a 177 percent higher risk of stress incontinence, or leaks with impact, compared with sedentary women.
Over time, pelvic floor dysfunction is the reason that women give up the activities they love. In a study, 46 percent of women said they stopped doing activities like racquet sports and volleyball because of incontinence, prolapse and other issues.
Your postpartum exercise timeline should start with at least six weeks of pelvic floor and core strengthening exercises.
The Vagercise course includes six levels of Pelvic Floor Strength, Core Strength and Hip and Glute Strength, designed by PTs to build your foundational strength.
Once you've mastered those movements, move on to the Return to High-Impact Exercise series for advanced exercises that prepare you for running, jumping and sports.
The series also includes a test you can take to determine whether you can handle high-intensity activities without leaks or pain.
It took months for your body to change during pregnancy, and it also takes months to return to full strength and endurance for higher intensity activities.
From your first Kegel to your first run, Vagercise helps you prepare for every step of your postpartum exercise journey.
