Gráinne Donnelly, physical activity postpartum and diastasis rectus abdominis

The Women in Sport & Exercise Academic Network Podcast

Gráinne Donnelly is an Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner and clinical researcher from N. Ireland in the UK. She is incoming co-editor for the journal of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy and will sit on the Board of Trustees for the Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy Association. She is on the specialist advisory board for the Active Pregnancy Foundation and is an associate member of the Perinatal Physical Activity Research Group at Canterbury Christ Church University. After 13 years in the NHS, she left the position as Team Lead for the pelvic health service to pursue private practice and research. She has published several peer-reviewed publications on return to physical activity postpartum and on diastasis rectus abdominis. She educates physiotherapists internationally and is currently pursuing a PhD. She also co-hosts a podcast called At Your Cervix, which aims to improve evidence-based information dissemination within the general public.

In this episode, I talk to Gráinne about some of her research papers in this area, her research and infographic on return to running postpartum, and her PhD, looking at the effect of compression garments on the pelvic floor. Gráinne also talks about her other projects, in which she is involved. Main topics we cover include:

• Research/paper on biopsychosocial factors contributing to return to running and running-related stress urinary incontinence in postpartum women. Summary of this research.
• Paper on how advice and guidance affects running habits. Summary of findings.
• Guidelines/infographic. How previous research (discussed) informed the graphic.
• Systematic review on self-reported symptoms in women with diastasis rectus abdominis. Main findings/interpretation.
• PhD work, investigating the compression garments to target the pelvic floor.
• Role as co-editor for the journal of Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy. Within sport and exercise, typical papers that this journal accepts.
• Other activities, e.g., Active Pregnancy Foundation and Perinatal PA Research Group – how these came about. How others can get involved.