The Postpartum Athlete: Guidelines for Returning to Sport

Course overview

The lack of evidence-based, established guidelines for postpartum athletes who wish to return to training has created a gap in information available for this population and those who provide health and fitness guidance to them. This course provides a return-to-training template for health and fitness professionals who work with high-level athletes during their postpartum recovery and incorporates current research and recommendations from experts in the field of postpartum fitness. The course will provide a comprehensive overview of the specific needs of the postpartum athlete. Key points include: - Identifying the "fourth trimester" needs and support actions and the physiological, physical, and psychological issues that impact postpartum recovery and return to exercise - Highlighting the need for establishing a team for managing all aspects of recovery or treatment needs - Guidelines for assessing readiness for return to training postpartum - Effective exercise loading and progression - Monitoring training progression response - Guidelines for assessing relative energy deficiency in sport and heart rate variability