Newburyport Wellness
  • HOME
    • About
    • Contact
  • SERVICES
    • Physical Therapy
    • Coaching For Chronic Pain
    • Radiant Pregnancy Program
  • Events
    • Fix Your Hormones With Your Fork
    • Momma & Baby Screenings
  • Scheduling & FAQ's
    • Good Faith Estimate
  • Free Resources
    • Recipe Book To Quell Pain & Inflammation
    • Early Postpartum Recovery Guide
    • Yoga for Pelvic Floor Video
  • Things To Read
    • Women's Health
    • My Life As A T1D Mom

BLOG

Running with a Jogging Stroller:                                           The Risks and Rewards

6/9/2017

4 Comments

 
So I have been missing my runs lately. Kids are crazy busy with sports and squeezing in a run is hard. I am missingthe days when I could throw my daughter in the jogging stroller and go. As I watch moms run with their jogging strollers I am filled with jealousy. The feeling of a super hard workout pushing my kid, her 50 pounds of snacks and the stroller.The subsequent freedom of running when I could run without a stroller. I felt faster and a bit stronger.  And then….

I suddenly see the list of side effects that jogging with a stroller can create.   When you walk, jog or run a lot with a jogging stroller, you are drastically changing the mechanics of how you move. Normally when you walk or run, yourtorso rotates to help balance the rotation of your pelvis with each stride. Rotation of the torso allows for your abdominal wall to freely expand on inhalation and recoil on exhalation. A slight pitch forward of your body helps with propulsion. When you use a jogging stroller you eliminate the slight pitch forward, torso rotation and a true freedom of breath.  I watch people either hunched forward pushing the beast of an object in front of them or almost overly upright. Whether you hold the stroller with one arm (or two), you are eliminating the normal trunk and pelvic rotation that occurs with running. Because you are pushing, your abdominal muscles are likely to be actively stabilizing the entire time. Well at least that is a plus, right? Well, not so much. When your abdominal muscles are on overdrive during a run, it is changing the way the body is creating and distributing internal pressure. Hello back pain or pelvic floor dysfunction! Hello altered mechanics when you walk or run without a stroller.  And to really fast forward, a lack of trunk rotation is correlated with an increased risk of falls as we age!


So now what?! This is how our generation has and continues to survive the early years of our children’s lives. Clearly giving up running or the jogger is a no go.  However, how great would it be if you could really learn how your body should move so that when you aren’t pushing a stroller, you can revert to the pre-jogging stroller way of moving? How great would it be if you had all of the information necessary to make the best choice for your body? 

As I write this I want to assure you that you don’t need to give up running with your jogging stroller.  Please, if you need the stroller to get out and move, do so. Many of us need it for sanity's sake as much as physical wellness. I write this to educate about the plusses and minuses of the jogging stroller. I write this to educate. Knowing how your body works and why dysfunction occurs is powerful information. 


​When you can, run without the stroller and be aware of how your body is moving. Pumping your arms is not the same as rotating your torso. When you are using the stroller, be sure to try and allow your belly to expand when you inhale. Be aware of back pain, incontinence or hip pain. Don’t wait to address it! The longer a problem exists, the longer it can take to remedy the situation! 

​As we finally embark on some good weather, go out and enjoy your runs. Keep your mechanics in mind and breathe!
​


Picture
                                                 Until we can run with this form , we will do the best we can!
4 Comments
Gerard Walker link
12/25/2020 04:18:30 am

Hello maate great blog post

Reply
Baby Rose link
4/24/2021 05:16:33 am

Looks amazing. Very stable. Seems slightlyy heavy though due to its high grade metallic body.

Reply
Jeanette McConnell link
8/9/2021 05:23:15 am

Hello maate, Keep your mechanics in mind and breathe! -best line

Reply
Mohsin link
8/17/2021 03:43:40 pm

The stroller is an important baby gear for smart parents. Do you have any idea which stroller is more suitable on-off roads or beach and beach side areas? Finding the right one is not easy. A suitable baby stroller can provide a smooth riding experience.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Darcie
    Is a mom of two, life long exercise & nutrition  enthusiast, women's health specialist & physical therapist. 

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

CONTACT 
Darcie Pervier
p. 978-238-6276
e. darcie@nbptwellness.com



© Newburyport Wellness, LLC 

Picture
Photos used under Creative Commons from PTPioneer, dollen, www.easy-photo-editor.com, Free For Commercial Use (FFC)
  • HOME
    • About
    • Contact
  • SERVICES
    • Physical Therapy
    • Coaching For Chronic Pain
    • Radiant Pregnancy Program
  • Events
    • Fix Your Hormones With Your Fork
    • Momma & Baby Screenings
  • Scheduling & FAQ's
    • Good Faith Estimate
  • Free Resources
    • Recipe Book To Quell Pain & Inflammation
    • Early Postpartum Recovery Guide
    • Yoga for Pelvic Floor Video
  • Things To Read
    • Women's Health
    • My Life As A T1D Mom