If you’ve ever felt a leak during a workout, a heaviness by the end of the day, or a strong urge to go right in the middle of a run, you’ve probably wondered whether you should just stop. You’re not alone, and you’re not broken. Pelvic floor symptoms during exercise are incredibly common, and importantly, they’re not something you have to just live with or push through.
This Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week (7–11 September), the movement pillar is all about “keep moving with confidence,” a theme Continence Health Australia has partnered with Jean Hailes on this year. It’s a message we stand behind completely: pelvic floor symptoms shouldn’t be the reason you give up the exercise you love.
What's actually going on
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and connective tissue that sit at the base of your pelvis, supporting your bladder, bowel and uterus. Every time you run, lift, jump or even laugh, these structures have to manage a spike in pressure or an increase in load. When they’re strong, coordinated and working well, they handle that pressure without a problem. When they’re not, whether from pregnancy, birth, menopause, high-impact training, or simply never having learned to use the muscles properly, symptoms like leaking, heaviness or a dragging sensation can show up.
How common is this, really?
More common than most people realise. Almost one in three Australian women experience a bladder control problem. Among women who play sport, especially high-impact sport, that number climbs. A meta-analysis of female athletes found an average incontinence rate of 36% across different sports, and up to 80% in activities like trampolining. Even strength sports aren’t exempt. Studies of female weightlifters and CrossFit athletes have found leakage rates between 40 and 70%.
If this is you, you’re in good company. The trouble is, most women don’t say anything. On average, people wait years before seeking help for these symptoms, often because they’ve been told (or have simply assumed) that this is just a normal part of being a woman, a mum, or getting older. It isn’t.
Do I have to stop exercising?
No. This is the message we most want women to hear this Women’s Health Week. Avoiding movement altogether isn’t the answer, and it often does more harm than good, since strength and fitness are protective for your pelvic floor, your bones and your overall health long term. The goal isn’t to stop moving, it’s to move in a way that supports your body properly.
What actually helps
- Breathing and bracing. Exhaling on the hardest part of a lift or movement helps manage the pressure spike instead of sending it all downward onto your pelvic floor.
- Pelvic floor muscle training, done properly. This isn’t just about doing more Kegels. Research consistently shows that pelvic floor muscle training, guided by a professional, can reduce or resolve symptoms in a large proportion of women, with some studies showing improvement in up to 70% of women with stress incontinence.
- Managing load, not avoiding it. If high-impact movements are flaring symptoms, that doesn’t mean exercise is off the table. It often means adjusting intensity, modifying certain movements, or building a stronger foundation before progressing back up.
- Getting your technique checked. Posture, alignment and how you’re managing pressure through your core and pelvic floor all matter more than how much weight is on the bar.
When to see a pelvic health physio
If you’re noticing leaking, heaviness, pressure, or a sense that something isn’t quite right, that’s your body telling you something worth listening to, not something to quietly work around. A pelvic health physiotherapist can assess what’s going on and build a plan specific to you, whether that’s technique changes, a tailored strength program, or hands-on treatment.
The bottom line
Pelvic floor symptoms during exercise are common, affecting close to a third of Australian women and a much higher share of women in high-impact sport, but common doesn’t mean normal or permanent. The evidence is clear that the right support, not less movement, is what helps. If symptoms are holding you back from the exercise you love, a thorough pelvic floor assessment is the best place to start, one that takes the time to properly understand what’s going on for you and builds a plan around it, so you feel genuinely supported rather than rushed through a box-ticking exercise.
Ready to move with more confidence? Book a pelvic floor assessment
By Danni Gillham, Principal Physiotherapist, The Wellness Boutique
Sources: Jean Hailes for Women’s Health. Bladder Health and Pelvic Floor Muscles. Continence Health Australia. Women’s Health Week: Keep Moving With Confidence, 2026. de Mattos Lourenco TR, et al. Urinary incontinence in female athletes: a systematic review. Int Urogynecol J. 2018. Skaug KL, et al. Prevalence of urinary incontinence in female athletes: a systematic review with meta-analysis. J Sports Med. International Continence Society. World Continence Week 2026.
