Why Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Matters for Athletes

Most physical therapists are inspired to become pelvic floor therapists after their own pregnancies. But my own journey into pelvic floor PT began long before I became pregnant. It started when I was in undergrad, when I first experienced athletic urinary incontinence.

Experiencing Leaking During Exercise

During college, I dealt with leaking only during exercise, a type of pelvic floor dysfunction that’s more common in active women than most people realize.

I had no issues with coughing, laughing, sneezing, or daily tasks. But running, jump rope, and even toes-to-bar sometimes triggered symptoms.

As a young athlete who had never been pregnant, it was confusing and stressful. Pelvic floor issues were always described as something postpartum women experienced, not something that could affect a healthy 20-year-old who'd never been pregnant.

Pelvic Floor Symptoms Are Common and Treatable

What I later learned is that my experience wasn’t unusual. Research shows that up to 80% of women who exercise will deal with pelvic floor symptoms at some point.

Even though it’s common, many athletes feel alone or assume leaking is just part of being a woman. It isn’t.

Leaking during workouts is common but not normal, and it’s highly treatable with the right rehab approach.

Why Pelvic Floor PT Belongs in Orthopedic Athlete Rehab

Traditional healthcare often divides the body into separate parts — one provider for your knee, another for your back, and another for your pelvic floor. The same is true for physical therapy. Even though the pelvic floor involves your core and hip muscles, it's usually separated from the rest of your muscles to its own specialty. But athletes don’t move in isolated pieces. Everything is connected.

The pelvic floor plays a key role in:

• stability

• pressure management

• breathing mechanics

• impact tolerance

• performance in running, lifting, and jumping

Addressing pelvic floor symptoms effectively means evaluating movement, improving load tolerance, and strengthening the entire kinetic chain, which is the same approach used for any orthopedic issue.

This is why pelvic floor considerations are built into my athlete rehab model. Treating athletes means treating the whole athlete, not isolating symptoms.

You Don’t Have to Train Around This

If you’re dealing with leaking, pressure, heaviness, or discomfort during exercise, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to avoid the movements you love.

A pelvic floor movement assessment can give you clarity, confidence, and a plan that supports the way you actually train.

If you’re ready to take the next step, click below to schedule an appointment. You don’t have to train around pelvic floor symptoms, and you don’t have to deal with them alone.

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