How will returning back to the gym stay safe for all?

How do you feel about returning to the gym, as the restrictions across Australia start to lift and gyms can begin to open their doors? OK, there will be a few strict rules around numbers allowed in the gym space, and cleaning of all surfaces, but do you feel it will be enough?

By nature, gyms are germy places. From gym goers in close proximity sweating and breathing heavily, to the handling of equipment and equipment like weights quite difficult to clean thoroughly due to all the nooks and crannies. There will definitely need to be an acceptance that some risk lies with returning to the gym. However for some, this risk should be weighed up against the huge physical, mental and social benefits in retruning back to gym-based exercise. 

This New York Times article from this week is a great positive read on how to make your return to the gym as risk free as possible. It encourages you to get back to enjoy your favourite workouts again. To borrow from the author, at the gym, live by the mantra:

Wash. Spray. Wait. Wipe. Repeat

• plan to sanitise yourself and the equipment very frequently.

• make sure your gym offers contactless gym sign in procedures.

• use your own wattle bottle and avoid the drinking fountains.

• give the sanitiser and other sprays at least a minute to kill the bacteria on the equipment. Wait this time before wiping.

• clean the equipment BEFORE you use it to negate any poor or rushed cleaning from the last person.

• exercise with 2 towels each time, saving one to mop your face and body sweat and the other to lay on the benches and mats for your workouts.

• ask your gym to increase it’s flow through ventilation system to refresh the air. This can be through fancy air conditioners, or simply to have a cross flow of ventilation with windows open to keep air and its particles moving from inside to outside the gym.

• exercising with masks may have limited benefits although should depend on the type of mask. Due to sweat and moisture, may masks would be quickly reduce their antibacterial defence barrier.

Perhaps you can’t wait to rejoin your gym, or perhaps you would prefer to give it a miss at this moment - this will really come down to personal feelings and values. If you are looking forward to the group fitness classes and weight sessions that home has not being able to bring during this pandemic, making educated decision will mitigate the risks and allow you to safely jump back on in.

What effect on pelvic floor health does early return to exercise have after having a baby?

There has been a lack of research and evidence backed information about the safe return to exercise after having a baby.  A recent research paper hot off the press this month (May 4, 2020) studied the long term impacts of returning to exercise in the first 6 weeks after birth. The physiotherapy researchers looked at the impacts of early exercise on urinary incontinence and prolapse in new mums 12 months after.

So, does return to exercise in the first 6 weeks of labour have any negative impacts on the pelvic floor 12 months on?

Here were the study’s findings:

• The exercising group undertook low impact exercise 3 times per week for 30 minutes (such as walking and swimming)
• The non-exercising group did just that!
• The strength and endurance of the pelvic floor muscles was no different in the 2 groups of women when tested at 12 months.
• The reported symptoms of urinary incontinence and prolapse were the same between the 2 groups at 12 months. So, this very early return to low impact exercise did not increase the incidence of incontinence or prolapse at all. 
• The mums who did report issues with incontinence and prolapse at 12 months were overweight or were workers in physically strenuous occupations involving lifting and manual labour.  

So, what tips can we take home from this study?  

Tip 1. New mums should be encouraged to start general exercise within 6 weeks of giving birth. The importance in the physical and mental wellbeing benefits for new mothers of regular exercise at this time cannot be underestimated.

Tip 2. Exercise in the first 6 weeks should be low impact to not overload the pelvis and pelvic floor muscles after labour. This would include walking and swimming, or gentle mat based exercise.

Tip 3. There is no magical return to exercise guide for a new mum after this first 6 weeks. Each woman is different. Pelvic floor assessment for pelvic floor muscle strength, endurance and prolapse is encouraged for each woman. This, with added consideration of her labour, baby’s weight, her pre-natal fitness, hormonal situation, body type will allow for a safe and pelvic floor appropriate return to exercise of higher impact or load.

Tip 4. If a new mum is overweight or has had a strenuous occupation or activity level in the past, she has a higher chance of urinary incontinence or prolapse. Return to exercise after the initial 6 weeks may need to be adapted and risk factors modified. Again, this is unique to each new mum and a women’s health physiotherapist is the best health professional to guide these mums back to their exercise goals.

So new mums, start your gentle walks, or mat based exercise when you feel ready. But don’t feel the pressure, go when you are ready! Finally, do make sure your women’s health physio has assessed your pelvis and pelvic floor after this 6 weeks to safely guide you to through the next phases of exercise.

As corona virus has all home exercising, Rebel and Kmart may have run out of small equipment, but we haven’t!

Buy a home exercise pack of resistance bands for only $20. We will even post them out to you! This pack includes:

• 1.5 metres of theraband tube or band for your shoulder exercises 
• pre-packaged theraband loop for your knees
• a spikey ball for self massage and muscle releases

We will help you out with the right level of resistance for you as we know you and your strengths.

Contact us to order now.