Pelvic health is a topic that has long been treated in silence, especially in the context of sport and intense exercise. But the reality is that many people who do CrossFit, HYROX or any high-impact sport experience pelvic floor symptoms without knowing there's a solution.
Talking about this isn't just important, it's necessary.
What the pelvic floor is
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments and connective tissue that form the “floor” of the pelvic cavity. It works as a support network for the pelvic organs (bladder, uterus and rectum) and plays a key role in urinary and faecal continence, sexual function and core stability.
Like any other muscle group, the pelvic floor can be trained, strengthened and rehabilitated. And like any other muscle group, it can be overloaded when exposed to demands it isn't ready for.
High-impact exercise and the pelvic floor
CrossFit and HYROX include high-impact movements (jumps, running, heavy lifts, burpees, double unders) that repeatedly create high intra-abdominal pressure. That pressure is passed directly to the pelvic floor.
When the pelvic floor is strong and coordinated, it can handle that pressure efficiently. When it's weakened, uncoordinated or overloaded, symptoms can appear that many people mistakenly treat as normal.
Symptoms you shouldn't ignore
Leaking urine during training
It's the most common symptom and the most normalised. Leaking urine when skipping, doing box jumps or running isn't normal: it's a sign that the pelvic floor isn't managing the pressure the movement creates.
This symptom has a name, stress urinary incontinence, and it has a solution. It's not an inevitable consequence of training hard or having children.
A feeling of heaviness or pressure in the pelvic area
A feeling of pressure or of “something coming down” in the pelvic area during or after training can be a sign of pelvic organ prolapse, a condition in which the pelvic organs lose support and descend towards the vaginal canal. It should be assessed by a specialist physiotherapist.
Pain during or after exercise
Pain in the pelvic area, lower back or hips during high-impact movements or heavy lifts may come from the pelvic floor, especially when other causes have already been ruled out.
Difficulty engaging the core
The pelvic floor and the core work together. When the pelvic floor is dysfunctional, core activation is compromised, and that directly affects performance in movements like the deadlift, the snatch or any loaded lift.
Why CrossFit and HYROX call for special attention to the pelvic floor
Volume and intensity
High-intensity sports generate high intra-abdominal pressure repeatedly and in significant volumes. A CrossFit class can include hundreds of jumps, dozens of lifts and several minutes of running, all with a direct impact on the pelvic floor.
Returning to training after giving birth
The postpartum period is one of the highest-risk times for the pelvic floor. Returning to high-impact training without specialist assessment and support can worsen existing injuries or create new dysfunctions.
There is no universal timeframe for returning to CrossFit or HYROX after giving birth: there is an individual assessment that should be done by a physiotherapist specialising in pelvic floor health.
Hypertonia: when the problem isn't weakness
A common mistake is assuming that all pelvic floor problems come from muscle weakness, and that the answer is Kegel exercises. But many people who train at high intensity have the opposite problem: hypertonia, meaning a pelvic floor that's too tense and can't relax properly.
In this case, Kegel exercises can make the problem worse. An assessment by a specialist physiotherapist is essential to understand the specific dysfunction and the right treatment.
What you can do to protect your pelvic floor in training
Learn to manage intra-abdominal pressure
Breathing is one of the most important tools for managing intra-abdominal pressure during exercise. Breathing out at the moment of greatest effort (at the point of greatest impact in a jump, in the concentric phase of a lift) helps reduce the pressure passed on to the pelvic floor.
Don't ignore the symptoms
Many people normalise leaking urine, pelvic pressure or pain during training, treating them as inevitable consequences of intense exercise or motherhood. They aren't. They're signs that deserve attention, and they can be treated.
Get a specialist assessment
Before any rehabilitation or prevention programme, an assessment by a physiotherapist specialising in pelvic floor health is the most important step. Only an individual assessment can tell whether there is weakness, hypertonia, poor coordination or another dysfunction, and which approach is right for each case.
Talk to your coach
If you have symptoms or concerns related to your pelvic floor, talk to your coach. At Revolution Fitness, coaches are on hand to adapt movements, reduce impact and adjust your training while you work on your pelvic health with a specialist.
