The effects of pregnancy on bone health in premenopausal women can lead to changes in bone mineral density (BMD). During early pregnancy, there is an increase in bone remodeling, which can result in a decline in BMD. The magnitude of BMD loss during pregnancy varies among studies and skeletal locations, ranging from less than 1%...
At Mend, we work with highly active women in Boulder County during pregnancy in our Boulder and Lafayette sports medicine and pelvic health physical therapy practice. This includes elite marathoners, CrossFit enthusiasts, triathletes, group fitness junkies and more. As pelvic health specialists we often hear concerns from these active women about “being too tight” in...
Fewer than 15% of pregnant women get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. There is a lot of fear out there regarding if and what exercise is safe during pregnancy. You can run! You can lift (even heavy)! You can do abdominal exercises! You can do hanging exercises! You can and...
The third trimester of pregnancy is when the demands of the fetus are greater due to rapid growth and development. Fetal growth is dependent upon blood supply of oxygen and nutrients from the mother via the placenta. Vigorous intensity exercise (defined as at least 70% of maximum heart rate or an exertion level at which...
Many questions arise during pregnancy regarding the safety of different forms of exercise for both mother and developing child. The information included here originates from the recently revised Canadian guideline for physical activity during pregnancy (Mottola et al 2019) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Opinion on Physical Activity During Pregnancy and the...