Pelvic Floor PT for Athletes: Building Strength from the Inside Out
When most athletes think about core strength, they picture abs, planks, and maybe even their low back. But there’s a key part of the core that often gets left out of the conversation: the pelvic floor. This group of muscles forms the base of your core and plays a critical role in breathing, stability, power transfer, and injury prevention.
The pelvic floor isn’t just important for postpartum recovery—it’s essential for athletes of all kinds. Whether you're lifting, running, jumping, or bracing under load, your pelvic floor is working to support your spine, control pressure, and stabilize your body from the inside out. When it’s not functioning properly, your performance suffers—and your risk of injury increases.
READ: High School and College Athletes Experience Leakage, Too
At Lady Bird PT in Austin, we help athletes understand that pelvic floor physical therapy isn’t about doing less. It’s about making your foundation stronger so you can train harder, move better, and feel more in control of your body.
Common Signs of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Active Women
Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t always look like what you’d expect. Many active women deal with symptoms for years without realizing there’s a fix—or they’ve been told it’s “normal” because they’ve had kids or do high-impact exercise.
Some of the most common signs we see in athletic clients include:
Leaking urine during lifting, running, or jumping
A heavy or dragging feeling in the pelvis
Difficulty engaging the core or “bracing” under load
Lower back, hip, or tailbone pain
Frequent urgency or difficulty fully emptying the bladder
Pain with intercourse or pelvic exams
These symptoms aren’t just nuisances—they’re signs that the system responsible for core control and pressure regulation isn’t functioning as it should. And that’s exactly what pelvic floor PT is designed to improve.
How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Supports Athletic Performance
Pelvic floor physical therapy isn’t just about fixing symptoms. It’s about restoring function and improving performance from the foundation up. Your pelvic floor works in coordination with your diaphragm, abdominal wall, and deep spinal stabilizers to control pressure and generate force. When those systems are aligned, everything from your breathing to your barbell work improves.
Here’s how pelvic floor PT helps athletes:
Improves coordination between breath, core, and pelvic floor
Reduces compensations like gripping, bracing, or breath-holding
Enhances spinal stability and postural control
Addresses movement habits contributing to leaks or pain
Teaches strategies to manage pressure under load or during impact
We don’t just give you kegels and send you on your way. At Lady Bird PT, pelvic floor therapy is active, intentional, and designed to meet the demands of your sport or activity.
READ: How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Supports Postpartum Recovery
Inside Lady Bird PT: Our Athlete-Focused Pelvic Floor Care in Austin
At Lady Bird PT, we specialize in pelvic health for athletes and active women in Austin. Whether you’re returning to sport postpartum, training for your next meet, or trying to lift without leaking, we meet you where you are and help you build strength from the inside out.
Our pelvic floor physical therapists provide:
One-on-one sessions in a supportive, judgment-free environment
Internal and external assessments based on your comfort and goals
Individualized movement strategies to improve strength, mobility, and control
Performance-based rehab that fits your training, not the other way around
You don’t have to slow down or settle for discomfort. With the right support, you can move, train, and compete with confidence.
Train Smarter, Not Harder—Start Pelvic Floor PT in Austin Today
If you're dealing with symptoms like leaking, pain, or pressure—or if you just want to optimize how your core and pelvic floor support your performance—pelvic floor PT can make a massive difference. It’s not about doing less. It’s about giving your body the tools it needs to do more, better.
At Lady Bird PT in Austin, we help athletes build stronger foundations so they can chase big goals without compromise. Our athlete-centered approach to pelvic floor care puts you in control of your body and your performance.
Ready to get started? Book your first session and see how pelvic floor physical therapy can help you feel stronger from the inside out.