If you lift, run, or are navigating postpartum or midlife changes, your pelvic floor is part of your performance story. It is not just a “women’s health” topic and it is definitely not only about kegels. Your pelvic floor is a key player in force transfer, stability, and breathing. When it is not working well with your hips, back, and core, you feel the leaks, the low-back ache, the hip pinch, and the heavy or dragging sensation that makes you cut a workout short.
The good news: pelvic floor therapy is straightforward, respectful, and practical. You do not have to choose between performance and comfort. With the right plan, you can build a stronger inside-out core that supports heavier lifts, smoother miles, and better day-to-day movement.
At Rock Solid Physical Therapy & Performance in Mequon, pelvic floor work is integrated with your sport goals and your full-body mechanics. Here is how it works, plus simple self-checks and starter strategies you can try today.
How the pelvic floor powers performance
Think of your core as a pressure system made of four walls. The diaphragm on top, the pelvic floor on the bottom, the deep abdominals in front, and the back muscles behind. When you breathe, brace, and move, pressure shifts through this cylinder. If one wall goes offline, the others compensate and force leaks into the path of least resistance.
- In the weight room, that can look like breath-holding that spikes pressure, a doming abdomen, or a low-back pinch at the bottom of a squat.
- On the run, it can show up as leaking with sprints or hills, hip ache late in long runs, or a feeling of heaviness after speed sessions.
- In daily life, you might notice urgency, trouble initiating a stream, or pressure with long standing or carrying.
Your pelvic floor is not just “tight” or “weak.” It can be overactive, underactive, poorly timed, or out of sync with your breath. Therapy aims to restore coordination first, then capacity and power.
Signs you might benefit from pelvic floor therapy
You do not need to check every box. One or two patterns that persist for more than a few weeks are worth a conversation.
- Leaks with jumping, sprinting, coughing, or heavy lifts
- Low-back, sacral, or deep hip ache that flares with running or squats
- Pelvic heaviness or pressure, especially toward the end of workouts
- Difficulty coordinating breath with bracing, or visible coning/doming at the midline
- Tailbone pain with sitting or after deadlifts
- Urgency, frequency changes, or a stop-start stream unrelated to hydration alone
Simple self-checks you can do today
These are low-stress ways to learn how your pressure system behaves. If any increase symptoms, stop and note what you felt.
- Breath and brace scan: Lying on your back, one hand on lower ribs and one below the navel. Inhale through your nose and feel the ribs widen sideways. As you exhale, gently tense like zipping up jeans. Notice if you push your belly up or bear down. Aim for ribs that expand like an umbrella and a brace that firms without bulging.
- Sit-to-stand rhythm: From a chair, stand up and sit down 10 times. Breathe out on the effort. If you leak, feel heaviness, or your low back pinches, try slowing the bottom 30 percent and keep the exhale long. Symptoms that resolve with breath and tempo tweaks often point to coordination needs rather than raw strength alone.
- March and cough check: Supine with knees bent, perform alternating marches. Add a gentle cough. Watch for doming along the midline or a bearing-down sensation. If present, lighten the brace, lengthen the exhale, and see if control improves.
These checks are not diagnoses. They are information you and a clinician can use to guide the next step.
Safe starter strategies for runners and lifters
Start with coordination, then layer load.
- Exhale on effort: Pair the hard part of a lift or the moment your foot strikes with a steady exhale. Think “blow before you go.” This helps the pelvic floor recoil and support without bearing down.
- Long exhale drills: 4-second inhale, 6 to 8-second exhale, 4-second pause, 1 to 2 minutes. This shifts your diaphragm and pelvic floor to work as a team.
- 90-90 heel taps: On your back, hips and knees at 90 degrees, ribs down, light brace. Tap one heel to the floor and return. Keep breath smooth. Progress to loaded variations only when you can maintain control.
- Tempo squats and split squats: 3 seconds down, 1 second pause, exhale up. Start bodyweight, then add load.
- Running form cues: Shorten stride slightly and increase cadence by 5 to 7 percent. Land under your center of mass, exhale into pickups, and keep posture tall through the ribs.
If symptoms spike, reduce load, shorten the range, slow the tempo, and refocus on breathing.
What happens in pelvic floor therapy at Rock Solid
Your evaluation is whole-person and sport-tied. We look beyond symptoms to how you create and manage pressure during the movements that matter to you.
- History and goals: Running, lifting, postpartum timeline, daily demands, training cycles.
- Movement and gait: Hip mobility, trunk control, foot mechanics, breathing and bracing patterns.
- Targeted testing: Strength and endurance of hips and core, coordination drills, and when appropriate, a private internal or external pelvic floor assessment with your consent.
- Plan and progressions: Inside-out core work, hip and back integration, lifting or run form cues, and progressive overload that respects symptoms and performance goals.
- Tools as needed: Manual therapy, dry needling with electrical stimulation when indicated, and app-supported home programs with clear milestones.
When your sport demands it, we blend pelvic floor work with movement evaluations in Mequon to make sure your plan translates to the track, trail, or platform. If you want deeper testing, our performance evaluations can align stability training with your speed or strength phases, so your core supports the output you are chasing.
For local readers, learn more about pelvic floor therapy in Mequon and how we integrate it with hips, back, and core to reduce pain and improve performance.
How a physical therapist fits into your team
- What exactly does a physical therapist do? A physical therapist evaluates how you move, identifies the drivers of pain or inefficiency, and designs a plan to restore function. That plan can include hands-on care, targeted strength and mobility work, movement retraining, and education that helps you lift, run, and live with less pain and more capacity.
- What are three types of physical therapy? Common categories include orthopedic physical therapy for muscles, joints, and tendons; sports therapy for return-to-sport progressions and performance; and pelvic floor therapy for pressure, stability, and continence issues. There are other specialties too, such as neurologic and cardiopulmonary care.
- How do I pick a physical therapist? Look for someone who listens, assesses movement and mechanics, explains the why, and builds progressive plans linked to your goals. Bonus points for objective testing, sport-relevant coaching, and an app-supported program so you know exactly how to progress between visits. If you are near Mequon, you can connect with a sports physical therapist on our team and start with an initial evaluation.
- Do orthopedics treat muscle pain? Yes. Orthopedic clinicians assess and treat muscle pain, tendon issues, joint irritation, and related movement problems. The focus is on identifying the root cause and restoring load tolerance, not just chasing symptoms. If you need support with persistent aches, our Mequon orthopedic pain treatment options include manual therapy, dry needling when appropriate, and progressive strength work.
Frequently asked questions
- What exactly does a physical therapist do? They analyze your movement, identify root causes of pain or limitation, and guide you through hands-on care and progressive exercise to restore function.
- What are three types of physical therapy? Orthopedic, sports, and pelvic floor therapy are three that often support active adults and athletes.
- How do I pick a physical therapist? Seek clear assessment, collaborative goal setting, and a plan with objective milestones. Choose someone who ties therapy to your sport or daily life.
- Do orthopedics treat muscle pain? Yes. Orthopedic care commonly addresses muscle pain, tendon irritation, and joint issues with movement-focused rehab.
When to book an evaluation
If leaks, heaviness, or hip and back ache keep showing up, you do not have to simply “get used to it.” Pelvic floor therapy typically improves with the right combination of breathing work, coordination, and progressive loading. It is respectful, private, and tailored to your sport.
Ready to take the next step? If you are in or near Mequon, book a pelvic floor evaluation in our clinic. Our team will align your plan with your runs and lifts so your inside-out core supports every mile and every rep.
- Explore pelvic floor strengthening physical therapy to see how we assess and treat.
- If you prefer to start with a broader movement screen or gait look, see our movement evaluations in Mequon and how they lead to targeted coaching.
- For painful flare ups that limit training, learn about our Mequon orthopedic pain treatment approach.
- To connect with a therapist directly about your goals, reach out to a Rock Solid sports therapist in Mequon.
Summary
Your pelvic floor is part of your performance engine. When it coordinates with your hips, back, and deep core, you transfer force better, reduce pain, and gain confidence under the bar and on the run. Small changes in breath, bracing, cadence, and tempo often make a big difference. For persistent leaks, heaviness, or ache, an integrated pelvic floor assessment ties the pieces together and builds a clear progression. If you are local, we would be glad to help you lift stronger and run farther with a calmer core and fewer symptoms.