Running After Pregnancy: How to Know when Your Body is Truly Ready

Key takeaways

• There is no universal timeline for returning to running postpartum. Every body is different
• Readiness depends on pelvic floor function, core, hip, and glute strength, ankle stability cardiovascular endurance and in general, how your body responds to exercise
• Walk-run intervals and gradual progression are important 
• It is common to feel frustrated during postpartum fitness recovery. You are not alone!

For many, running is more than exercise. It is a form of stress relief, moving meditation, and a daily ritual. It makes sense that one of the most common questions clinicians hear from postpartum patients is: “so, when can I start running again?”

The truth is that returning to running postpartum is not about checking off a certain number of weeks or months. It is about whether your body has rebuilt the strength, coordination, and impact tolerance needed to sustain running safely.

This article is the clear framework you need to assess whether you’re ready to lace up and hit the pavement. 

So, when can I start running again?

There is no set and absolute time that someone can return to running postpartum. Expert guidelines and opinions have varied over the years. We don’t even have a clear idea of what the ‘average’ time a person returns to running postpartum is. Some research points to 12 weeks postpartum being the median age that most recreational runners return to running. In lue of actual research, the best consensus we have from experts in the field is that no one should return to running until at least 3 weeks postpartum but exactly when can vary widely based on many individual factors. 

What determines readiness to run after pregnancy?

The short answer is that it depends on your body, not the number of weeks since you’ve given birth.

According to APTA Pregnancy and Postpartum Special Interest Group, running is a high impact activity that places significant demands on the pelvic floor, core, hips, and connective tissues. Given these systems undergo major changes during pregnancy and birth, every unique body must be assessed for strength, control, and symptom response rather than a universal timeline.

Many people will not be ready to run at six weeks postpartum, even if they feel energetic. Depending on factors like one’s birth experience, amount and type of exercise through pregnancy, sleep patterns, feeding demands, prior injuries, or pelvic floor symptoms, everyone’s timeline is different.

Before running feels safe again, it is imperative to heal, strengthen and stabilize the pelvic floor, deep core, and calves as a base. 

What needs attention before returning to running?

During pregnancy, the pelvic floor, a group of muscles at the base of the pelvis that supports the bladder, bowels, and uterus, lengthens and adapts to support a growing baby. During active labor, pelvic floor muscles stretch to about 3 times their normal length with a vaginal delivery, and can result in weakness, pelvic organ prolapse, and injuries like muscle tears. 

Running creates repetitive forces through the pelvis, which strains pelvic floor tissues and can stress the pelvic floor. If the body cannot properly absorb those forces due to destabilization and weakness caused by pregnancy and delivery, these forces can reach the pelvic floor and symptoms can appear.

Common signs the pelvic floor may need some more attention include urinary leakage, pelvic pressure or heaviness, pain, or discomfort during or after impact.

How do the core and hips factor in?

The pelvic floor does not work alone. It works alongside your abdominal wall (which includes four layers of muscles: the rectus abdominis, the external obliques, the internal obliques, and the transversus abdominis), breathing diaphragm, glutes, and hips.

While research is still lacking in the area, expert clinicians agree that weakness or poor coordination in the core and hips can increase pain when returning to run and worsen symptoms. The risk factors for pain in postpartum runners were muscular imbalance, poor lumbopelvic control, too much too soon, life stressors, pain during pregnancy and pelvic floor trauma. Other research has identified hip abductor and adductor strength specifically is decreased in postpartum runners. This is why rehabilitation should focus on strengthening the core, hips, glutes, calves, and surrounding muscles rather than isolated exercises or cardio. 

Like undergoing surgery, sustaining injury, or any significant change in your body, recovery  from childbirth is a phased approach requiring time and patience . 

Is my body ready to run?

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Pelvic Health section outlines a six-phase, symptom-guided progression to help you safely return to running. These phases are designed to gradually rebuild pelvic floor function, core strength, and lower-body capacity before formal return-to-running strength and ability tests are used. 

Rebecca Segraves, an Origin clinician, was in APTA’s special interest group who helped develop this approach. Each of the six phases include exercises aimed at improving pelvic floor function, movement readiness, cardiovascular endurance and strength.  

Throughout all phases, if you can complete the exercises without pain, bladder leaking, needing to compensate, or other symptoms, you have the baseline strength needed to begin running again. 

In this context, “compensate” means using other muscles or movement patterns to complete a task when the target muscles are not strong or coordinated enough to do so. For example, arching your lower back to lift your hips during a single‑leg bridge. A pelvic floor therapist can help evaluate  your movements to determine any compensations you may be demonstrating.

For a clinician‑led demonstration of these evidence‑based tests, Origin’s PTA Erica Hemingway walks through the tests in this short Instagram video!

When returning to any activity, it’s important to be mindful of any pain or symptoms that might arise suddenly as you ease back into activity. Also remember that these are guidelines and not rigid tests. Some people may be able to return to running without being able to complete all these tests and some people may pass these tests with flying colors and still face challenges with returning to run.

At Origin, our clinicians will work with you to assess your unique body, birth experience, and symptom history to determine the safest progression.

How to ease back into running? 

1. Start slower than you expect

When cleared to run, most clinicians recommend walk-run intervals rather than continuous running. This allows tissues to adapt to impact gradually.

For example, you might alternate one minute of running with two minutes of walking for a total of 15 to 20 minutes. Progression happens over weeks, not days. There is no set or standard walk-run interval template for returning to run postpartum as many factors may influence what you specifically need. 

However, you should not be experiencing  symptoms of pain, heaviness, or leakage before progressing to the next level. It’s important to take 48 hrs of rest between running trials and avoid varying too many factors at once. Factors can include terrain, mileage, time, shoes, stroller usage, and running surface ( either trails vs. roads.) 

A clinician can help create an individualized walk-run progression plan for you based on your timeline and symptoms.

2. Keep strength training

Returning to running does not mean strength work stops. Continued exercises for the pelvic floor, core, glutes, and calves, along with the rest of your muscles help build resilience, reduce the risk of injury, and will improve your running game.

Progressive loading, or gradually adding reps and weight in strength training, followed by 2-3 minutes of rest after each strength set are important for building steady endurance, rather than jumping back into your pre-pregnancy training regimen.

3. Monitor symptoms closely

Your body provides feedback. Signs that you need to pause or scale back include leaking, pelvic heaviness, pain, or lingering soreness.

These symptoms do not mean you failed. They mean your body needs more support or time to adjust. In fact, the onset or return of symptoms might warrant more personalized care. Origin clinicians specialize in postpartum return to exercise and understand that readiness is individual.

Why returning to fitness postpartum can feel emotional

When returning to running, you may feel different or disconnected from your body. You may compare yourself to others’ recoveries, or worry that slowing down means you are falling behind. 

If things feel different from before pregnancy, frustration, grief, or impatience can surface.

These feelings are completely normal and valid.

Remember postpartum recovery is not linear and it takes time to rebuild strength. Honoring your healing body now, supports the ability to move freely later with confidence and long-term health in mind.

You are not alone! There are many organizations that specialize in providing mental health care for new parents. We love Mavida Health and Seven Starling!

Need personalized postpartum support?

If you are wondering whether your body is ready to run or how to rebuild strength safely, Origin's clinicians are here to help. Book a visit to get individualized, evidence based guidance that meets you where you are.

Sources:

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period.” ACOG Committee Opinion, no. 804, 2020.

American Physical Therapy Association, Pregnancy and Postpartum Special Interest Group. Postpartum Return to Running Program for the Physical Therapist. APTA, 2023.

Bérubé, Marie‑Ève, and Linda McLean. “The Acute Effects of Running on Pelvic Floor Morphology and Function in Runners With and Without Running‑Induced Stress Urinary Incontinence.” International Urogynecology Journal, vol. 35, no. 1, 2023, pp. 127‑138, PMC, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10811036/

Christopher, Shefali Mathur, et al. “Biomechanical and Musculoskeletal Differences Between Postpartum Runners and Nulliparous Controls.” Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy, vol. 46, no. 1, Jan.–Mar. 2022, pp. 11–17, https://doi.org/10.1097/JWH.0000000000000226

Christopher, Shefali M et al. “Common musculoskeletal impairments in postpartum runners: an international Delphi study.” Archives of physiotherapy vol. 10 19. 26 Oct. 2020, doi:10.1186/s40945-020-00090-y

Donnelly, Gregory M., et al. “Rehabilitation of the Postpartum Runner: A 4 Phase Approach.” Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy, vol. 46, no. 2, 2022, pp. 79–89.

Tenforde, Adam S., et al. “Musculoskeletal Considerations for the Postpartum Runner.” Sports Medicine, 2022.