As runners, we like to feel confident in our stride. While we often focus on endurance and speed, we often overlook a staple component of our running – the pelvic floor. This can be one of the most neglected muscles, but it plays an important role.
The pelvic floor is crucial for maintaining stability, preventing injuries, and improving our running experience. Whether you’re a well-seasoned marathon runner or a casual jogger, taking care of those muscles is so crucial.
Some may experience a weak pelvic floor, which can heavily impact their running ability. In this article, we’ll examine the pelvic floor and the best pelvic floor exercises for runners to strengthen those muscles
Table of Contents
What is the pelvic floor?
The pelvic floor muscles are between the tailbone and pubic bone. It is a group of muscles, ligaments, and tissues built to support the base of the pelvis. Its structure holds all the pelvic organs and controls bladder and bowel movements.
The pelvic floor also contributes to sexual function and supports the womb.
The leading causes of a weak pelvic floor include pregnancy, childbirth, prostate cancer treatment, and obesity.
Although a weak pelvic floor can be treated and improved, it can affect exercise, particularly running. Runners need a strong pelvic floor to improve balance, form, stability and avoid urine leakage.
Why should you care about a healthy pelvic floor?
Maintaining a strong pelvic floor is important in holding up many muscles and organs. In fact, the pelvic floor plays a crucial role in overall health, from support to childbirth.
Enhanced organ support
A strong pelvic floor provides essential reinforcement to your pelvic organs. Keeping it healthy helps maintain organ positioning and function.
Core stability and posture
The pelvic floor is literally the core of your body. It works in conjunction with the abdominal and back muscles to provide stability and support. It also helps you maintain a good posture and spine alignment.
Bladder control
A healthy pelvic floor helps prevent incontinence. Someone with a weak pelvic floor will have urinary issues, including frequent urination and leakage.
Bowel function
Strong pelvic floor function is vital for bowel control and movements. Strengthening these muscles will help prevent issues like fecal incontinence and constipation.
Sexual response
The pelvic floor muscles play a significant role in sexual function. That includes arousal, sensations, and orgasms. Keeping your pelvic floor healthy enhances pleasure in both men and women.
Pregnancy and childbirth
A strong pelvic floor can make a world of difference in pregnancy and childbirth. It supports the growth of the uterus, facilitates labor, and aids postpartum recovery.
What are the signs of a weak pelvic floor?
If you’re concerned that you may have a weak pelvic floor, these are the most common signs you should watch out.
- Leaking urine when coughing, sneezing, laughing, or running
- Decreased sensation in the vagina
- Not reaching the toilet in time
- Passing wind when bending over
- Feelings of heaviness in the vagina/pelvic area
- Recurring UTIs and thrush
- Dislodging tampons
- Pain during sex
Apart from these symptoms, there are ways to test for a weak pelvic floor. Contract your pelvic floor muscles as if you are trying to stop urine flow. If you can hold it for up to ten repetitions consecutively with 10-second holds, then you know your pelvic floor is healthy.
We recommend speaking to your doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. They can help you restrengthen your pelvic floor.
Can I jog with a weak pelvic floor?
A weak pelvic floor can make running quite tricky. Any exercises that include running and jumping aren’t ideal — at least for now.
Benefits of pelvic floor exercises for runners
We can’t emphasize enough the benefits of pelvic floor exercises for runners. With all the symptoms, it can be really hard to be a runner with a weak pelvic floor.
Doing your best to strengthen it will only improve your running experience.
Pelvic floor training increases core strength and makes you more stable during your runs. A strong pelvic floor will also improve bladder control and help improve urinary and fecal incontinence. This will make going on long runs much more effortless, putting less pressure on your bladder and bowels.
Strengthening your pelvic floor can help speed up recovery from childbirth, meaning you can return to exercises like running a little sooner. It will also decrease postpartum pelvic pain, which you may experience after or during your runs.
In addition, outside of running and exercise concerns, you’ll have a lower risk of pelvic prolapse, and you may see an enhancement in sexual function.
Best pelvic floor exercises for runners
Running can put a lot of strain on the pelvic floor muscles, even if you already have a strong pelvic floor. Strengthening these muscles is super important for runners to prevent issues like incontinence or pelvic prolapse.
If you have existing pelvic floor issues, we recommend speaking to your doctor for additional support and starting slowly with these exercises.
If you’re a runner, you’ll want to include these exercises in your routine to help strengthen those important muscles. These are the top pelvic floor exercises for runners.
Kegels
Kegels are all about contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles. Before doing this exercise, we recommend having an empty bladder.
- Lie down or sit in a chair
- Tighten your pelvic muscles as if you’re holding in wind or urine
- Hold this contraction for 5 seconds, then relax
- Repeat for 10x repetitions
Bridges
This exercise will strengthen your glutes and core muscles, indirectly supporting the pelvic floor.
- Lie on your back
- Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor
- Raise your hips off the ground, engaging your core
- Hold this position for 10 seconds
- Repeat for 8-10 reps for 3 sets
Squats
Squats primarily focus on your pelvic floor while engaging your glutes and quads.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart
- Engage your core muscles and lower yourself down as if sitting on an invisible chair
- Lift back up to a standing position
- Repeat this for 10 to 15 reps for 3 sets
Dead Bug
This exercise targets your core muscles, which act as pelvic support.
- Rest on your back with your arms extended to the ceiling
- Lift both legs up, bending your knees to form a 90-degree angle
- Lower your right arm and left leg until they hover above the ground
- Repeat for the opposite arm and leg
- Do 5 repetitions on each side for 3 sets
If you’re confused, the tutorial below may be a great reference!
Bird Dog
The bird dog strengthens your core and improves stability
- Get into a quadruped position (on all fours), with your hands under the shoulders and knees under the hips
- Press away from the floor and draw the abs in
- Slowly reach one arm and the opposite leg away from the body, getting your body in a straight line
- Reverse and repeat for the other arm and opposite leg
- Do 6 to 12 reps on each side for 3 reps
Planks
Planks are one of the best exercises for engaging the core, including your pelvic floor muscles.
- Start in a quadruped position, then lower down to your forearms and toes
- Make sure your elbows are beneath your shoulders
- Squeeze the core, imagining you’re pulling your belly button to your sternum
- Hold this position for as long as possible
Walking
If you want to start running but have a weak pelvic floor, walking may be an excellent temporary alternative. It’s a low-impact way to slowly build up your pelvic floor, and it can be done in combination with the exercises above.
The benefits of walking for your pelvic floor include:
- Low Impact: It’s a low-impact exercise that can strengthen your pelvic floor without putting too much strain on it
- Improve Circulation: Walking will improve your blood circulation to the pelvic area. Blood circulation is a major factor in the health of your pelvic floor muscles.
- Core Strength: It will engage your core muscles, which are there to support your pelvic floor
- Urinary Control: Regular walking will help improve bladder control. Strengthening the muscle reduces the risk of urinary incontinence. In fact, a 2010 study shows women regaining up to 70% improvement after following a suitable and effective pelvic floor exercise program.
Quick tips for pelvic floor exercises for runners
Find the right muscles
You can identify the correct muscles you should be exercising by imagining you’re stopping the flow of urine or passing of gas. Those are the muscles you should be targeting.
Correct your posture
As with any form of exercise, maintaining good posture is necessary. Keeping your spine in a natural position is the most effective way to engage the muscles.
Don't forget to breathe
When exercising, remember to breathe normally. Holding your breath is a common mistake but can cause unnecessary tension.
Be consistent
Make these exercises part of your routine. It’s a cliche, but consistency is key. It’s the only way to start seeing improvements in strength and control. To help with this, we recommend documenting fitness milestones!
Talk to a professional
You may be unsure how to correctly perform pelvic floor exercises for runners or have specific health concerns. If that’s the case, it’s worth talking to a doctor or specialist for extra guidance.
Following these tips will help enhance the effectiveness of these pelvic floor exercises for runners. You can reap the rewards of stronger and healthier pelvic muscles.
Other ways to improve pelvic floor strength
Of course, pelvic floor exercises for runners are one of the leading methods of maintaining and improving pelvic strength. However, there are some alternative methods you can try out in addition to exercising.
Maintain a healthy weight
Excess weight can strain your pelvic floor muscles. A balanced diet, in combination with exercise, will help reduce that strain.
Stay hydrated
Drinking enough water is a good way to help maintain muscle health, including your pelvic muscles. You may think that drinking more water will make you urinate more. However, as your pelvic floor strengthens, it’ll get better.
Avoid overworking your muscles
Be aware of activities that may put additional strain on your pelvic floor. These might include heavy lifting or straining during bowel movements.
Be aware of your posture
Watch your posture! Maintaining good posture, not only during exercise but also in daily life, will support pelvic floor function.
Consider physiotherapy
If you have specific pelvic floor issues, there are physiologists who specialize in these muscles Having their additional support can be beneficial.
Monitor bowel habits
Constipation and straining during bowel movements can take a toll on your pelvic floor. Consider adding more fiber and maintaining healthy eating habits to reduce this strain.
These slight lifestyle moderations and strategies can easily contribute to having better pelvic floor health and function.
