After a c-section, you may find that hip extension feels more challenging as if something is pulling at your incision site or even in your low back. This can be common, especially as your scar heals and begins to adhere to surrounding tissues, muscles, and pelvic organs.
Ideally, the different layers of our skin, tissues, and muscles, all glide smoothly on top of one another. This smooth glide allows us to move our bodies easily. We have different connections from head to toe, where movement in one area affects movement in another area. None of our muscles operate in isolation, so it would make sense that our bodies are connected.
If we have adhesions or layers sticking to one another, at the c-section incision site, we can experience:
Low back pain or pulling
Tugging or pulling at the incision site
Bladder issues, such as urgency or infrequency
Pain with deep thrusting during intercourse
Pelvic floor or core dysfunction
If we can mobilize our c-section scar, we can find a lot of relief from the above symptoms. It is never too late to mobilize your scar!! It may be most beneficial during the first 18 months. However, you can be years post-section and still find a lot of benefits, but it may just take more effort.
Here are some warm-up tips to help reduce pulling sensation during workouts!
1. Mobilize your scar prior to workouts as a part of your warm-up
We can focus on moving the scar around, with circles, up and down, side to side, and even a pinch and lift technique. We want to feel that the tissue glides, rather than almost staying put as we move the tissue or feel stuck. If you find that there are a lot of emotions or uncomfortable sensations with touching your scar, it can be helpful to work with a physical therapist to ease your way into scar mobilization. Watch the video below for a visual breakdown of scar mobilization techniques.
Learn how to mobilize your c-section scar in our every other month c-section scar mobilization webinar with Casey Backus, physical therapist and c-section mom of 2.
2. Hip flexor focused stretches
Another mobility exercise that we can focus on is hip flexor mobility. When we approach hip flexor mobilization, we want to find a half-kneeling position. In this half-kneeling position, think to tuck the butt underneath to find more length in the hip flexor. Then we can drive the hip forward while maintaining this butt tucked position.
If we want to emphasize this more, we can reach up with the same side arm, and rotate around to find a sensation that suits us. Watch the video below for a visual breakdown of this mobility routine.
3. Touch your scar site with a barbell or other equipment that may come in contact with it
This is a tip from Kristen Pope, Olympic Weightlifter, who wrote our postpartum return to Olympic Weightlifting program with us. If you are doing Olympic lifts, sometimes the bar will come in contact with your c-section scar site and be fairly uncomfortable or even painful.
Her advice is to touch the barbell against your scar site and maybe even roll it around. We don’t necessarily want to apply tons of pressure, but we can work on getting used to the sensation of a barbell touching or hitting our scar during our lifts.
We may need to incorporate specific warm-up routines to support our workouts after we have had a c-section. If you experience any pulling sensations or discomfort at your scar site, it may be worth taking some time before workouts to mobilize your scar, mobilize your hip flexors, and possibly introduce stimulus to your scar site.