Pram Running How to Run Safely With Your Baby

Returning to running after having a baby is an exciting milestone—but your body has changed, and adding a running pram changes your running even more.

In this episode of *The Runner's Sole Podcast, podiatrist and runner **Sharon Miller* explores everything new parents need to know about pram running—from biomechanics and injury prevention to footwear, recovery, and returning to exercise safely after pregnancy.

Running with a pram isn't simply running with extra weight. It changes your posture, arm swing, stride length, cadence, and the forces travelling through your feet, ankles, knees, and hips. Understanding these changes can help you stay injury-free while enjoying the benefits of running with your little one.

Whether you're a new parent preparing for your first pram run or you're already noticing aches and pains, this episode will help you run smarter and recover better.

🎧 *IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:*

✔️ How pram running changes your running biomechanics
✔️ Why your body needs a gradual postpartum return to running
✔️ The most common injuries new parents experience while running
✔️ Why footwear matters even more when running with a pram
✔️ Practical tips for safe and enjoyable pram running
✔️ How to reduce your risk of plantar fasciitis, Achilles pain, and knee pain
✔️ The importance of strength training after pregnancy
✔️ Why consistency beats rushing back into running

👣 *KEY TAKEAWAY*

Pram running is a fantastic way to stay active while spending quality time with your baby—but your body deserves time to adapt.

By progressing gradually, wearing supportive footwear, strengthening your body, and listening to early warning signs, you can return to running safely and confidently without increasing your injury risk.

🔗 *LINKS*

🌐 All Episodes: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545750

👟 Online Foot Consultation: [www.runnerssole.co.uk](http://www.runnerssole.co.uk)

👥 Join Our Running Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17oz7x3jFe/

🏃 *ABOUT THE PODCAST*

The Runner's Sole Podcast is where running meets science, stride by stride.

Hosted by podiatrist and runner Sharon Miller, this podcast helps runners prevent injuries, improve performance, and better understand foot health through practical, evidence-based advice.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:09

Welcome back to the Runner Soul. This is the place where running meets science stride by stride. And as ever, I am Sharon, your resident podiatrist, and I'm also a runner, and you guessed it, a foot nerd. Welcome back to The Runner's Soul. This is the podcast where running meets science stride by stride. And as ever, we have lots of hints and tips for you. Well, today's episode is an interesting one because you know you new parents out there having a baby can actually be a barrier to your exercise. And then, of course, you have to decide well, which one of the couples is going to be allocated the time to go and run. And of course, mom is always the one to stay at home. There's a new exercise trend for parents, and that is cram running. So we'll be talking all about that because it's a sport that combines your cardiovascular exercise, parenting. You don't have to choose which spouse is gonna go off and have time to exercise. You can do it together, and you have the ability to steer a small little vehicle while surviving on approximately four hours of broken sleep. And that's if you're lucky. So if you've recently become a parent, you've probably discovered that finding time to exercise can feel harder than assembling a flat pack of furniture without any instructions. The running pram, a brilliant invention that allows you to exercise while your baby enjoys a front door seat in the whole wide world or sleeps through the entire experience despite every pothole and bump along the way. As a podiatrist, I love seeing my parents stay active. But I also see plenty of runners who discover that running with a pram can feel very different from running solo. And that's to be expected. So today we'll talk about what happens to your feet, your biomechanics, and your body when you add a baby, a pram, and a changing bag somehow weighs more than your child's. How does pram running change your running style? Well, when you're running normally, your arms swing naturally and help propel you forward. When you're pushing a pram, however, that natural arm swing disappears. Suddenly trying to run while steering, avoiding all the dog walkers, navigating the curbs, and occasionally retrieving a drop dummy at speed. From a biomechanical perspective, we often see shorter strides, reduced arm swings, increased forward leans, change in cadence, and altered loading through the feet and lower limbs. From a parenting perspective, we also see the ability to identify every local playground within a five-mile radius. These changes can increase stress on the calves, ankylees tendons, the knees and feet, particularly if you jump back into running too quickly. The postpartum return to running. Let's talk about that because it is something important. Many new parents are eager to return to exercise, which is fantastic. However, your body has been through a remarkable process. Pregnancy and childbirth create changes that don't magically disappear once the baby arrives. In fact, your body may recover more slowly than your social media feed suggests. Just because someone online appears to be running half marathon six weeks after having a baby while looking effortlessly glamorous, that doesn't mean that's the reality for most people. A gradual return is usually the safest approach. Think of it this way: if you wouldn't expect to run a 10k immediately after several months away from training, like if you had an injury, don't expect your body to instantly return to its pre-pregnancy running form. It's just not possible. Moving on to footwear. Now, let's discuss running shoes. As podiatrists, we spend a surprising amount of our lives talking about footwear. Many parents tell me, my running shoes are fine. When I ask how old are they, they'll say, Oh, I've had them since before the baby was born, but I've hardly worn them. And then I discover the baby is now at primary school. Running shoes have a lifespan like everything else. And even if they look good externally, cushioning and support gradually deteriorate. Your feet are already dealing with altered biomechanics from pram running. This is not the time to discover your shoes retired three years ago. Or should have retired three years ago, that is. On to common injuries we see. Now, there are so many injuries. I could write a book just on injuries alone. But the most common ones that most runners will be familiar with are the following. So the first one is plantar fasciopathy, or you might have heard plantar fasciitis. Now, this is often felt as heel pain, especially when you take your first steps in the morning when you get out of bed. Many parents assume it's because they're constantly carrying a baby. Sometimes that's true, but sometimes it's because they're carrying a baby, a nappy bag, groceries, and the emotional burden of remembering every single nurse rhyme that was ever written. Especially when you're trying to get your bob to sleep. And on to Ankyles tendonopathy. Now the Ankylese tendon works particularly hard during running. Adhills and a cramp, and suddenly your calves are negotiating terms and conditions. They never agree to. Knee pain. Running with altered mechanics can't, of course, increase pressure around the knee joint. Not just the knee joint, but all the assisting muscle as well. Now, this often happens when runners lean too heavily into the pram. Remember, you're pushing the pram. The pram should not be pulling you along. Practical tips for successful pram running. First thing has to be start slowly. This isn't the Olympics. The goal here is to be consistent and not we're not gonna go for heroics. Next thing, check your route. Try to choose the smoother surfaces whenever possible. Your baby might not appreciate the off-all trail adventure as much as you do. Next, keep good posture. Try not to hunch over your hands and bar. Imagine you're running tall and you're running relaxed. Think confident runner rather than exhausted parent searching for coffee runner. Strength training definitely helps. If you have strong calves, glutes, and core muscles, these can all make a huge difference. The good news is that repeatedly lifting a growing child provides some resistance training too. The bad news is that they continue to grow. In summary, prime running is one of the best ways for new parents to stay active and spend time together. Get you moving, get you outdoors, and occasionally provide the magical bonus of a baby who actually falls asleep. Just remember that your body is adapting to a unique challenge. Progress gradually, wear appropriate footwear, listen to any warning signs, and don't ignore persistent pain. And if your run ends after 10 minutes because someone in the pram has decided they've had enough of fitness for the day, that still counts. Because sometimes the biggest endurance event isn't the run itself. It's getting everyone out of the house in the first place. Thank you for striding through this episode with me. And if you enjoyed it, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a comment or share it. And let me know where you're listening from. We're on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Spread, and pretty much everywhere you can think of. It genuinely helps more runners. Discover our podcast and if you want to be part of the community that share stories and supports each other along the way, come join us over on Facebook at the RunnerSoll Family. If you've got questions about your foot health, about your running or anything and everything in between, I am always happy to help. And for that reason, I offer online foot consultations, so no matter where you are in the world, we can get your concerns properly sorted. You'll find all the links in the show notes. And before you go, just please remember, your feet aren't just along for the ride. They are the foundation of every step you take and everything you do. So please take care of them and they will take care of you. So until next time, keep on running smart.