What is return to exercise postpartum?
The six week visit is a starting line, not a finish line. It clears you for activity. It does not tell you which activity, how much of it, or what to do when the first mile leaks or the first heavy set feels like your middle is missing. Return to exercise postpartum is the rehabilitation that fills that gap. It is a graded, progressive plan that starts from where your tissue actually is and builds toward the running, lifting or class you want back. Your doctor of physical therapy assesses the abdominal wall and how it manages pressure, the pelvic floor and its timing under load, hip and calf strength, single leg control, breathing, and how you tolerate a small dose of impact right now rather than in theory. From there the plan moves in stages: control and load tolerance first, then strength heavy enough to matter, then impact and speed, then the full session you have been missing. The rule is simple. Respect healing, but do not stall it. Doing nothing for months is not a safer plan, only a slower one.
You do not need a physician referral to begin. Massachusetts has direct access to physical therapy, so you can book an evaluation with us directly. Some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage, so we verify your benefits before your first visit and give you your copay in writing. We accept Aetna, ASHLink, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Fallon Health, Harvard Pilgrim, Mass General Brigham Health Plan, Medicare and Tricare, along with Workers' Compensation and auto injury claims. Flat self-pay rates are available if you are not covered.
