The Importance of Prenatal PrEHAB
By Kristina Grinovich Minear, L/PTA, E-RYT 200
Most of us associate physical therapy with rehabilitation after an injury or surgery in order to help restore a person’s physical function to their former state (or better!) However, in recent years, prehabilitation, like preventative medicine, has been gaining more popularity in the PT world (links to a few of our favorite prehab studies and articles can be found below if you want the nitty-gritty.)
But how does prehab fit in for our pregnant folk? According to a 2022 systematic review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (link to full article below), pregnant females who committed to a consistent exercise routine showed better outcomes overall. The review showed that women who participated in regular exercise during pregnancy experienced a wide variety of benefits for both mom and baby including: lower maternal weight gain, faster heart rate recovery, reduced risk of developing gestational diabetes, lower blood pressure, better performance of pelvic floor muscles postpartum, decreased risk of depression, lower rate of nausea and fatigue, shorter first and second labor stages, lower complications during labor, and lower newborn weight, just to name a few!
As encouraging as this study is, pregnant people are unfortunately given relatively vague guidelines as to how and when to exercise safely throughout their pregnancy. Let us help shine some light for you!
Low-impact exercises such as walking, swimming, and yoga are all highly recommended to do throughout your pregnancy and you can start them at any point. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG for short) recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise (such as the aforementioned walking and swimming) per week. The ACOG also recommends resistance training, riding a stationary bicycle, and stretching.
Participating in yoga while pregnant has also recently been studied and shown to reduce stress and duration of labor (Yes, please!). (Link to the full 2022 systematic review is below). If you are interested in yoga, we recommend taking a prenatal-specific yoga class designed specifically for pregnant bodies.
As with everything pregnancy-related, always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine, and listen to your body! If you can’t easily hold a conversation while you are performing an exercise, that’s a good indication from your body that you should take a break, slow your pace, and grab some water before re-starting.
While pregnancy is not the time to reach a new PR or try out a new sport, the important thing to remember is that consistency is key: if you enjoyed running prior to becoming pregnant, you can continue running, as long as you are paying attention to your hydration and heart rate and modify as needed with breaks, slowing your pace, and drinking plenty of water. (The ACOG cautions that there is currently not enough research to determine the risks of maintaining 90% ofmaximum heart rate for any duration of vigorous activity, and the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine recommends not exceeding a heart rate of 140 beats per minute. If that all sounds likea lot of math or you don’t have a heart rate monitor, then try keeping your perceived exertion at a level where you can still maintain a casual conversation without gasping for air.)
And while you may be more inclined to participate in more exciting sports, now is not the time to engage in exercises that could potentially damage the abdomen, so save the downhill skiing, mountain biking, and wrestling for after your postpartum check up.
Additionally, there are simple exercises you can do safely that will help improve your hip, glute, and core strength to prepare you for the ultimate extreme sport that is giving birth. Check out a few of our favorites!
The bottom line is that staying physically active during your pregnancy has a wide variety of benefits for mom both mentally and physically, and the fitter you are during your pregnancy, the likelihood of a faster postpartum recovery increases. If you’re looking for more specific exercise protocols tailored to your body, or if you have specific pregnancy-related concerns, schedule a free 20 minute consultation with us today!
Fixxed is a first of its kind recovery studio offering bodywork techniques to help you move and feel your best. We offer quick and effective hands-on services in a one on one setting performed by a licensed physical therapist or athletic trainer. Click HERE to book a free consultation with FIXXED!
REFERENCES:
Can Group Exercise Programs Improve Health Outcomes in Pregnant Women? An Updated Systematic Review : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9024782/
“Prehab” Program Lowers Length of Hospital Stay by 12 Hours: https://www.brighamhealthonamission.org/2018/12/17/prehab-program-lowers-length-of-hospital-stay-by-12-hours/
Effect of Multimodal Prehabilitation on Reducing Postoperative Complications and Enhancing Functional Capacity Following Colorectal Cancer Surgery: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2803109
U.S. News & World Report: The Benefits of ‘Prehab’ Before Surgery: https://nyulangone.org/news/us-news-world-report-benefits-prehab-surgery
What is Preventative Medicine? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2274388/?page=1
Physical Activity and Exercise in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period: https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2020/04/physical-activity-and-exercise-during-pregnancy-and-the-postpartum-periodMonitoring
Physical Activity Intensity During Pregnancy:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9830234/#:~:text=The%20guidance%20indicated%20that%20exercise,140%20bpm%20(Table%201).
The characteristics and effectiveness of pregnancy yoga interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8957136/
