The Pelvic Floor: An Overlooked Part of Performance
by Melissa Laye, PT, DPT
Most conversations about the pelvic floor start with leaking.
This one starts with performance.
Whether you enjoy hiking trails, spending hoursin the garden, hauling fishing gear, lifting weights, or simply keeping up with an active lifestyle, your pelvic floor is working every step of the way.
It is one of the most overlooked muscles in the body, yet it plays a critical role in how you move, generate strength, and stay active.
Think of it as part of the foundation of your core.
The pelvic floor works alongside your diaphragm, deep abdominal muscles, hips, and spinal stabilizers every time you breathe, brace, lift, carry, run, jump, or change direction.
Together, these muscles help manage pressure inside the abdomen, stabilize the spine, and transfer force throughout your body.
When that system is working well, movement feels strong, efficient, and supported.
When it is not, performance often suffers.
Sometimes the signs are obvious.
Sometimes they are subtle.
You may notice:
Leaking during running, jumping, coughing, or lifting
A feeling of heaviness or pressure during activity
Hip tightness that never seems to improve
Recurring low back pain
Difficulty generating power
Feeling unstable during heavier lifts
Holding your breath during exercise
Constantly clenching your glutes or core without realizing it
These issues are more common than many people realize.
Research has found that one in three women report pelvic floor symptoms that interfere with exercise. Many end up modifying activities they enjoy because of those symptoms.
Even highly trained athletes can experience pelvic floor dysfunction that affects training, confidence, and performance.
The good news?
Experiencing symptoms does not mean your body is failing you.
It simply means your pelvic floor may need training, just like any other muscle.
More Exercise Does Not Always Mean Better Pelvic Floor Function
One of the biggest misconceptions is that strong people automatically have strong pelvic floors.
Research tells a different story.
Studies of competitive CrossFit athletes found that while they demonstrated impressive overall strength, their pelvic floor muscle strength was no better than women who did not exercise regularly.
The takeaway?
The pelvic floor needs more than strength alone.
It Is About More Than Kegels
When people hear "pelvic floor training," they often think of kegels.
But the pelvic floor was never designed to work alone.
It naturally coordinates with your diaphragm, deep abdominal muscles, hips, and glutes during everyday movement.
When these muscles work together efficiently, your body manages force more effectively.
When they do not, other areas often compensate.
That compensation can show up as:
Hip pain
Low back discomfort
Pelvic pressure
Core weakness
Movement that feels harder than it used to
For many active people, the goal is not simply strengthening the pelvic floor.
The goal is improving how the entire system works together.
What Better Pelvic Floor Function Can Do
When pelvic floor function improves, people often notice benefits that extend well beyond symptom relief.
Better Pressure Management
The pelvic floor helps manage pressure during lifting, hiking, running, jumping, carrying heavy loads, and everyday movement.
Improved Core Stability
A well coordinated pelvic floor contributes to a stronger brace and better force transfer throughout the body.
Greater Capacity
Like any muscle, the pelvic floor adapts to progressive training and becomes better equipped to handle higher demands.
Fewer Hidden Movement Limiters
Hip tightness, recurring low back pain, pelvic discomfort, and chronic tension patterns often improve when the pelvic floor is functioning more efficiently.
More Confidence
Many people quietly avoid activities because of symptoms.
Better pelvic floor function allows you to focus on enjoying the activity instead of worrying about how your body will respond.
Where to Start
The first step is awareness.
Many people have never intentionally connected with their pelvic floor and are unsure whether they are contracting, relaxing, or bearing down.
A simple cue is to imagine gently stopping the flow of urine or lifting a blueberry through a straw.
The effort should feel subtle.
Not like a maximal squeeze.
Next, begin coordinating your breathing.
As you inhale, allow your rib cage, abdomen, and pelvic floor to gently expand.
As you exhale, gently engage your pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscles.
Then begin carrying that same coordination into daily life and exercise.
Exhaling during the most challenging part of a lift, standing from a chair, or carrying something heavy often improves pressure management naturally.
Do not forget recovery.
A pelvic floor can be underactive.
It can also be overactive.
Constantly sucking in your stomach, clenching your glutes, crossing your legs every time you sneeze, straining while having a bowel movement or even while urinating, or staying tense throughout the day can all contribute to dysfunction.
The pelvic floor benefits from learning how to relax just as much as it benefits from learning how to contract.
When It Is Time to Seek Help
Leaking, pelvic pressure, heaviness, pelvic pain, pain with intercourse, persistent hip tightness, or recurring low back pain are not simply part of getting older or staying active.
They are signs that your body may benefit from a more individualized assessment.
At Summit Physical Therapy, we look at how your breathing, core, hips, and pelvic floor work together to identify what may be contributing to your symptoms and help you get back to doing the activities you love.
The Bottom Line
Your pelvic floor is not just something to think about when symptoms appear.
It is an important part of how your body creates strength, stability, and movement.
Whether your goal is hiking farther, spending a full day in the garden, carrying your fishing gear, lifting heavier, or simply moving through everyday life with confidence, your pelvic floor plays a role.
Like every other muscle in the body, it responds to training.
And building awareness today can help keep you doing the things you love tomorrow.
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