Steady State Health · Portland, Maine

Postpartum Return to Run Program in Portland, Maine

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A pelvic floor physical therapist cueing a client's deadlift form while holding her baby.

Support Beyond the 6-Week Checkup

Being cleared to exercise isn’t the same as being ready to run.

Many runners feel lost after their 6-week postpartum appointment. Maybe you're told you're “good to go” - but you still feel weak, leaky, disconnected from your core, or unsure about what’s safe. At Steady State, we help you rebuild strength, restore confidence, and return to running on your terms with a program that’s tailored to your body, goals, and timeline.

Dr. Ashten with a pelvic floor physical therapy client at Steady State in Portland, Maine.

Who This Program Is For

  • You’ve recently had a baby and want to return to running safely
  • You’ve already started running again but feel “off,” weak, or symptomatic
  • You’re dealing with leaking, pressure, or pain during or after runs
  • You want expert guidance on rebuilding strength, impact readiness, and core function

This isn’t just about pelvic floor exercises. It’s about rebuilding your body from the inside out, so you can return to training and feel like yourself again.

What the Program Looks Like

Initial Evaluation:

Full-body assessment including breathing, core function, pelvic floor, mobility, and running readiness.

Progressive Strength Plan:

Rebuild load tolerance with postpartum-safe lifting and impact prep.

Pelvic Health Integration:

Address leaking, prolapse symptoms, and discomfort without relying on rigid rules or fear-based advice.

Running-Specific Testing:

Return-to-run benchmarks, impact strategies, and gait cues to support your stride.

Education & Empowerment:

Know what to expect, how to adjust as you go, and when to push or pull back.

Common Challenges We Help With

  • Stress urinary incontinence (leaking with running or lifting)
  • Prolapse symptoms (heaviness, pressure)
  • Core and pelvic floor weakness
  • Pain during or after activity
  • Loss of confidence in your body’s capabilities

For a deeper look at why a coordinated pelvic floor matters - and why strength alone isn’t enough - check out our blog post: Understanding Pelvic Floor Therapy: Beyond Kegels and Postpartum

How Long Does It Take to Return to Running Postpartum?

It depends on the person, the birth, and the recovery - but most runners benefit from a gradual progression over 6 - 16+ weeks. We meet you where you are and adjust based on your timeline, training goals, and symptoms.

We’ve helped postpartum runners return to:

  • Training for 5Ks, half marathons, marathons, and ultras
  • Building strength in the gym without symptoms
  • Feeling confident and pain-free during daily life
A runner stretching through her trunk at sunrise in Portland, Maine.

Let’s Build a Stronger Return

You deserve more than a “just listen to your body” plan. Let’s create a strategy that’s built around your body, goals, and postpartum season.

Not sure what to expect from your first visit? Learn more in our blog post: Your First Pelvic PT Visit at Steady State

Ready to Get Back to Running Symptom-Free?

Serving Postpartum Runners Across Southern Maine. Whether you’re running laps at the Back Cove, pushing a stroller along the Greenbelt Pathway, or rebuilding your base on the treadmill - we support postpartum runners across Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Falmouth, and the rest of Maine. Virtual options are also available.

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Other ways we help

Next step

Take the First Step by Contacting Us Today

A short call to hear what’s going on, answer your questions, and work out whether we’re the right fit.

A Steady State physical therapist assessing a runner outdoors in Portland, Maine.
Rather send a message than pick a time?

Pelvic health concern? Use our pelvic health contact page. You can also contact us here.

From the blog

Our posts about returning to running postpartum

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The Injured Runner’s Roadmap

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