By Leila Arab | Women’s Health Physio
Spring often means doing more.
More walking.
More running.
More gym sessions.
More sport.
For many women, this increase in activity can also reveal something they haven’t noticed during the quieter months:
pelvic floor symptoms.
You might notice leaking when you run.
A feeling of heaviness during exercise.
Pressure after lifting weights.
Or discomfort that appears when your training intensity increases.
These symptoms are common, but they shouldn’t simply be dismissed as something you have to live with.
Your pelvic floor is part of a larger system that works with your breathing, abdominal muscles, diaphragm and hips to manage pressure and support movement.
When the demands placed on that system increase, symptoms can become more noticeable.
This doesn’t necessarily mean your pelvic floor is simply “weak.”
Sometimes the issue involves coordination.
Sometimes the muscles are overactive rather than weak.
Sometimes breathing and pressure management need to be addressed.
And sometimes the problem is simply that the increase in training load has happened too quickly.
This is why doing more pelvic floor exercises isn’t always the answer.
The first step is understanding what your body is actually doing.
A Women’s Health Physiotherapist can assess your symptoms and help develop an appropriate plan to return to the activities you want to do.
This is particularly relevant for women returning to:
- running
- gym training
- jumping and high-impact exercise
- sport
- or exercise following pregnancy
You shouldn’t have to stop doing the activities you enjoy because of leaking, pressure or discomfort.
Spring is about getting back outside and moving more.
Make sure your body is ready for it.
Call to book a Women’s Health Physiotherapy assessment and prepare your body for spring.