Did you know you can experience urinary leaking if you have either a weak or tight pelvic floor?

Pelvic floor muscles that are weak or low tone aren’t as strong, have more laxity, and have a reduced ability to act like a trampoline to absorb and distribute impact/force/pressure.

Low-tone pelvic floor symptoms are more common after multiple vaginal deliveries, if you have a history of chronic coughing/vomiting/constipation (repetitive & excessive downward pressure over time), if you’ve had a hysterectomy, peri-menopause or going through menopause! 

Some women may even have underlying pelvic floor weakness but symptoms are only brought on by hormone changes in their menstrual cycle (leaking etc only during certain times of cycle) - meaning that don’t have to be postpartum or going through peri/menopause to have more low tone pelvic floor symptoms. 

Increased pelvic floor tone or pelvic floor tightness is a lot more common than you may think! Tightness is when the pelvic floor muscles are holding more tension or have a reduced ability to relax or lengthen. 

There are a few cross-over symptoms with high tone and low tone pelvic floor which is why you might think you have a “weak pelvic floor”. You can still experience urinary leaking, urgency symptoms, or increased urinary frequency with pelvic floor tightness.

How might pelvic floor tightness impact childbirth? Prolonged 2nd stage labor, higher risk of perineal tearing due to the inability of tissues to relax - plus all the above!

How might pelvic floor tightness impact me if I haven’t had children? It may impact your bowel or bladder habits and intimacy, if you have endometriosis or adenomyosis you may experience increased pelvic pain symptoms, and you may experience leaking symptoms with skipping, heavy lifting, or jumping exercises.

One in three women report pelvic floor symptoms as a substantial barrier to exercise - don’t wait for your symptoms to magically resolve, get in touch today.