Resistance training has countless benefits including increased strength and endurance, improved bone density, possible reduced risk of diseases, and improved mental health¹. Many people like to participate in resistance training in guided group settings, such as Crossfit. In general, people don’t think very much about their pelvic floor while exercising, unless it’s not functioning well. And unfortunately, rates of pelvic floor dysfunction are high among female Crossfitters and athletes, with around half experiencing some level of bladder leakage and/or pelvic pain^2,3. What is the pelvic floor, and why do so many lifters have problems with it?

Your pelvic floor consists of a group of muscles and connective tissue called the levator ani that sit at the bottom of your pelvis and act like a “hammock” to support your internal organs. It also controls urination and defecation, has a part in sexual function, and helps with breath support and posture. It is one of the four main core muscle groups along with your diaphragm, deep back stabilizers, and deep abdominal muscles. Since it plays such an important role in supporting your core, it’s vital to not neglect it when performing high intensity activities (such as Crossfit). You should be able to actively contract AND lengthen your pelvic floor muscles when needed, as well as coordinate them with exercises like jumping and squatting.

For many lifters, leakage happens when doing forceful exercises such as squats, deadlifts, or jumps. This is often due to a combination of increased pressure through the abdomen and not enough strength or coordination of the pelvic floor. When there is a buildup of pressure and you put the system under load by adding in heavy weights or high impact, that pressure will try to escape somewhere, and often goes for the weakest area – the pelvic floor. This puts more pressure on the bladder than it can handle, causing leakage.

Yes it can! Pelvic physical therapy can help with leakage, pain, and other training-related pelvic health problems.. By doing a specialized examination, a trained pelvic health therapist can tell you what the problem is – whether it’s weakness, too much tension, poor coordination, hip weakness, or something else. They can create a personalized treatment plan to directly address your problems and fix the underlying issues. Happy lifting!