Running with Prolapse or Leakage: What Every Woman Should Know Before Hitting the Pavement
For many women, running is more than exercise; it’s freedom, therapy, and strength rolled into one rhythmic stride. But if you’ve ever felt pelvic heaviness, pressure, or leakage while running, that sense of freedom can turn into frustration and even fear.
You are not alone. Whether you’re a postpartum runner, perimenopausal athlete, or simply noticing changes in your body, there is a safe way back to running and it starts with understanding your pelvic floor.
Why Running Can Trigger Pelvic Symptoms
Common Signs Your Pelvic Floor Needs Support
Your pelvic floor muscles act like a supportive hammock for your bladder, uterus, and bowel. These muscles coordinate with your core, breath, and hips to manage pressure with every step, jump, and stride.
When the system isn’t functioning properly due to childbirth, hormonal shifts, or poor mechanics, that pressure can cause symptoms like:
A feeling of heaviness or bulging in the vagina (possible prolapse)
Urinary leakage with running, sneezing, or jumping
Hip, back, or pelvic pain that worsens with impact
Running doesn’t “cause” these issues but it can reveal underlying imbalances that need to be addressed.
Postpartum Runners: Rebuilding Your Foundation
Where to Start Before Returning to Running
If you’re newly postpartum, your body has gone through immense change. Even if your OB has cleared you for activity, your core and pelvic floor may not yet be ready for high-impact movement.
Instead of diving straight into mileage, start with:
Breathwork and coordination drills to reconnect your deep core and pelvic floor
Glute and hip strengthening, especially single leg strength, to stabilize your pelvis
Gradual impact progressions (like marching, skipping, and hopping drills)
At Better Women’s Health, our therapists use return-to-running assessments and gait analysis to evaluate readiness ensuring your comeback is strong, confident, and safe.
Menopause and Running: Strength is Your Superpower
How Hormones Affect Pelvic Support and Performance
During perimenopause and menopause, changes in estrogen affect muscle tone and connective tissue integrity. Many women notice increased joint stiffness, leakage, or feelings of pelvic “pressure.”
The solution isn’t to stop running, it’s to train smarter.
Research shows that strength training 2–3 times per week helps maintain muscle, bone, and pelvic support. Focusing on glute, core, and pelvic floor strength builds resilience for continued running through every stage of life.
If you’ve noticed more aches or heaviness, a pelvic floor physical therapy evaluation can help uncover what’s contributing and create a plan for long-term performance.
Leaking While You Run? It’s Common, But Not Normal
Retraining Your Core and Breath for Confidence
Leaking during workouts or long runs can feel embarrassing — but it’s not something you just have to “live with.”
Often, leakage happens because of timing and coordination, not weakness. If your breath, posture, or stride pattern create too much downward pressure, your pelvic floor can’t react quickly enough to manage it.
A pelvic floor therapist can help retrain:
Breathing mechanics (how your diaphragm and pelvic floor work together)
Impact strategy (how your body absorbs force)
Strength and endurance of the pelvic floor
Imagine running without worry: dry, confident, and pain-free. That’s what true pelvic health support can offer.
Your Next Step: Build Strength, Restore Confidence
Whether you’re training for a race, returning after birth, or running through menopause — the key is to listen to your body and work with a professional who understands women’s health.
At Better Women’s Health, we combine pelvic floor therapy, strength training, and movement analysis to help you run stronger and symptom-free.
You don’t have to choose between running and healing — you can have both.
Book a free consultation today to learn how we can help you return to running with confidence.