Today’s question relates to running after pregnancy. Shona had her baby 8 weeks ago and has been walking and is starting to run again. She is however battling with sore knees. She didn't gain too much weight during the pregnancy. Could her sore knees be that the tendons are still soft?

Brad Brown: Today’s question relates to running after pregnancy. Shona had her baby 8 weeks ago and has been walking and is starting to run again. She is however battling with sore knees. She didn't gain too much weight during the pregnancy. Could her sore knees be that the tendons are still soft?

Lindsey Parry: The most vulnerable time post pregnancy is the first 12 weeks. There is obviously some individual variability but there will be some what we call ligamentous laxity. That is caused from all the lactin that her body released in order to allow the birthing process to take place, the hips to open etc. That is normal.

Joint Irritation When Running After Pregnancy

Having joint irritation when starting running after pregnancy is fairly normal, especially so soon afterwards. She should be ok with walking but what I would do is to go to non-weight bearing exercise. So I would look at things like the elliptical, rowing and stationary cycling up to 12 weeks. Then from 12 weeks I would gradually build up the running and increase the running and if she does that then she is unlikely to have too many issues.

At 8 weeks there is a high probability that it is all still related to the pregnancy.