Although many articles commonly warn new moms that running too early postpartum can cause various complications and is not advised, this does not apply to every woman across the board. Every woman’s body is different and each will not only have a different recovery process, but also variations in their previous baseline of running prior to giving birth.

I joined the Activcore team in Atlanta, GA in October 2021. I am a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) who specializes in pelvic health, women's health, running analysis and general orthopedics. I help women address their pain, weakness, and dysfunction in their pelvic floor muscles so that they can engage in all activities they love to do without pain, urinary leakage, or any pelvic discomfort. I became interested in specializing in the burgeoning field of pelvic health...

Ever since I have been treating constipation and bowel dysfunction as a pelvic health physical therapist, I’ve had many clients ask if the laxative they are taking is safe and if they should continue using it, or if they can start their child on a laxative such as Miralax. Many of my clients are afraid they might become dependent and will always have to be on it for their bowels to function. Or they have been told to stop taking it because it is not safe. To have a better understanding of the risk of dependency on a laxative and its safety, let’s first discuss what it actually is, how it works, its side effects, precautions, why you would use it, and the current research on kids taking it.

Now that we have a better understanding of what a Diastasis Recti Abdominis (DRA) is, let’s talk about what physical therapy can do for you. Physical therapy is a conservative treatment option, because there is no surgery involved and you allow the body to heal itself with specific exercises. Diastasis Recti are diagnosed measuring how many cm or mm of separation there is on the linea alba (i.e. the midline of your six-pack muscle).

Do you leak stool with walking, running, or other physical activities? Do you have urgency of your stool and can’t make it to the toilet in time? Do you have to wear disposable underwear because you leak fecal matter?‍ As a pelvic health physical therapist, I see this quite a bit in my practice and everyone always asks the single question: “Why?!!!”

Whether you’re new to motherhood or a seasoned Mom, I would like you to envision a scenario. You’ve just had your little one and you’re at home navigating through mommahood. As your baby is growing, your body is healing. You’re adjusting to a new life balance and trying to sleep whenever you get a free moment. And to top it off, there’s doming on your core every time you get out of bed. Does this sound familiar?

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, I have had more time to practice and critique my I Love You (ILU) massage technique on my 16-month old son, who has been dealing with constipation since he started eating solid foods. I have found there are a few things you really need to do when doing the ILU massage. But before we dive deep into the mechanics, how does the ILU massage technique work?

So you just had your 6-week postpartum check-up and have been medically cleared for exercise for your doctor. That’s great news! ‍If you were a runner before giving birth, I’m sure you're eyeing your running shoes and feeling eager to get back out there.‍ But not so fast!...

As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I see many new moms with pelvic floor dysfunction who are also breastfeeding. Common postpartum pelvic floor issues include pain with intercourse, pelvic organ prolapse, and urinary incontinence. How does breastfeeding affect these issues?

“You don’t even look like you had a baby!” people say, as if it is the ultimate compliment a postpartum woman could receive. After growing a human being for 9 months, our goal is supposed to be to “bounce back” after giving birth as soon as possible. Wait for clearance at your 6 week follow-up, and you should be able to go back to your favorite bootcamp class and lose the rest of that baby weight, right?