Plyometric Jumps

[Karlee]

Hi everyone!
I'm new to this forum, but maybe someone can answer this question:
I'm newly pregnant (about 2 weeks) with my 2nd. I was not in shape before my 1st pregnancy and did not exercise during it. I simply couldn't toward the end because I was on bedrest due to preeclampsia, a condition that is very unlikely to happen again with this pregnancy.
I have been exercising very strenuously for about 7 months. I'm just now gettig back into shape from my first pregnancy 21 months ago!
I would like to continue to exercise throughout this pregnancy.
Anyway, I've been doing the FIRM videos and Cathe videos at home 5-6 times a week. Sometimes I do Tae Bo to get in some variety.
I read somewhere that I shouldn't do plyometric jumps during pregnancy. Is this true, or can I still do them for at least the first trimester?
Thanks for any help,
Karlee

 

[Sheila]

Hi Karlee,

First of all congratulations and welcome to our little "forum family." As for your question regarding plyometric jumps during pregnancy..... If you have read any of the posts on our forum you may be aware of the hormone relaxin. This hormone is secreted during pregnancy and it does exactly what its name implies - it relaxes connective tissue (tendons, ligaments and cartilage). As a result, the joints are "looser" and therefore theoretically less stable than they were pre-pregnancy. The pelvic joints, including the hip joints, the knees, and ankles are affected by relaxin. These joints become more vulnerable to injury due to the effects of relaxin. Doing plyometric jumps places alot of stress on already loosened joints.

Also during pregnancy the pelvic floor (kegel muscles) undergoes quite a few changes. Due to the effects of relaxin and the weight of the baby, the pelvic floor can sag like a shelf with too much weight on it. It is imperative that you do all your exercising with your pelvic floor engaged. If you can't "hold your kegels up" while doing the exercise you should not be doing the exercise. In other words, if you can't do your jumps with your pelvic floor engaged, you are adding insult to injury by putting quite a lot of stress on your pelvic floor while jumping. You don't want to be one of those women who has to constantly wear minipads because you "leak" urine when you laugh, cough, etc. due to a weak pelvic floor.

Hope this helps. Keep us posted.

Sheila Watkins

 

[shammy902]

Karlee - Hi! I have a 21 month old as well and I too am newly pregnant (about 2 weeks). I don't know if you'd be interested, but I'd love to be a virtual workout-buddy with you to help each other through the pregnancies! Please let me know, you can email me at: [email protected]

Congratulations!