The postpartum period brings unique physical and biomechanical changes. Pregnancy and delivery place significant demands on abdominal wall support, pelvic floor coordination, spinal posture, and breathing mechanics.
Yet, many new mothers receive minimal guidance on how to safely navigate the return to exercise, often wondering when it is appropriate to resume running, gym workouts, or higher-intensity training.
Postnatal rehabilitation is about taking a thoughtful, stage-based approach—progressing safely from initial recovery to long-term strength and fitness.
Key Focus Areas of Postnatal Physiotherapy
1. Abdominal Wall Function & Diastasis Recti
Diastasis Recti Abdominis (DRA) refers to the stretching and thinning of the connective tissue (linea alba) between the rectus abdominis muscles. Rather than simply avoiding movement, rehabilitation focuses on learning how to recruit deep abdominal stabilizers (such as the transversus abdominis) in coordination with breathing, ensuring effective load transfer across the core (read our article on why regular crunches can sometimes challenge an abdominal gap).
2. Pelvic Floor Coordination & Support
The pelvic floor works synergistically with the diaphragm and deep core muscles. Assessment helps ensure the pelvic floor can both relax appropriately and contract effectively under physical demands, supporting bladder control and pelvic comfort during daily lifting and exercise.
3. Postural Adaptation & Spinal Mobility
Caring for a newborn involves repetitive feeding, lifting, and carrying postures, which can lead to upper back stiffness and neck discomfort. Hands-on mobilisations and targeted mobility drills help ease postural fatigue and restore spinal movement.
4. Individualized Return-to-Exercise Progression
Rather than relying on generic workout lists, exercise progression should be tailored based on your recovery stage, symptoms, and fitness goals. Whether your goal is to return to running, group fitness classes, weight training, or everyday activities, training progresses through structured milestones:
- Foundational core and breathing coordination
- Progressive bodyweight and resistance training
- Single-leg stability and impact-readiness screening
- Gradual return to higher-intensity sports or running
Personalized Care at MoveSync
Led by Dr. Mansi Shah, our postnatal physiotherapy assessments offer an individualized, evidence-based space to evaluate your recovery and design a progressive strength program suited to your body.
Schedule a Postnatal Consultation
Support your recovery and rebuild physical strength after childbirth.
Clinic: MoveSync Physio & Sports Rehab, Science City Road, Sola, Ahmedabad