Returning to the gym after a break or injury

Returning to the gym after a break or injury works best when load increases gradually, early choices are simple, and pain signals are listened to rather than ignored. The aim is to rebuild capacity without slipping into the boom‑and‑bust cycle of doing too much, then flaring up and stopping again.

How to increase load gradually

During a session, there is time to discuss symptoms, medical history and the progress of the pregnancy, followed by a careful assessment of posture, movement and areas of tension such as the back, pelvis and ribs. Positions are adjusted for comfort – most often side‑lying, seated or semi‑reclined – with good pillow support to ensure safety and ease. Osteopathic techniques are then chosen to match the person’s comfort, health history and stage of pregnancy.

Common pregnancy aches osteopathy can help with

Start below where you think your limit is: fewer sets, lighter weights, or shorter sessions than you “could” do, and then build up week by week.
Change only one variable at a time (for example, add a little weight or one extra set, but not both) and keep at least one rest day between harder sessions for the same area.
Use a simple rule of thumb: if you cope well for 24 hours after a session, you can keep or very slightly increase that level next time.

What to avoid at the start

Jumping straight back to your pre‑break numbers, high‑impact classes, or long sessions with lots of new exercises at once.
Training to failure, doing many “max effort” sets, or stacking intense sessions on consecutive days for the same muscle group or injured area.
Ignoring warm‑up and going straight into heavy or fast lifts; instead, use light cardio and easy sets of the main movements to prepare the tissues.

Normal soreness vs overload

Normal post‑exercise soreness (DOMS) usually appears 12–24 hours after training, peaks around 24–48 hours, feels like a dull, stiff ache in the muscles, and eases as you move around.
Overload or irritation is more likely if pain is sharp, focused in a joint rather than muscle, appears during the session, or is clearly worse and more limiting 24–48 hours later instead of gradually easing.
If pain alters your movement (limping, guarding, not wanting to load a limb) or keeps increasing with each session, that is a sign to step back, deload, or seek a professional opinion.