Leaking During High-Impact Workouts? Let’s Talk 💦💛

Do you notice leaking when you’re running, jumping, lifting, doing CrossFit, or any other high-impact workout? 🏃‍♀️🏋️‍♀️🤾‍♀️

If so — you’re definitely not alone.

For some women, this starts after having a baby. For others, it creeps in over time… even if they’ve never been pregnant. (Yep, that surprises a lot of people.)

Leaking during high-impact exercise usually isn’t about being “weak” or doing something wrong. It’s often linked to things like:
👉 Pelvic floor dysfunction
👉 Bladder prolapse
👉 Too much pressure in the abdomen during movement
👉 Restrictions in the connective tissue around pelvic organs

The good news? There are ways to reduce — and often eliminate — leaking.

Here are a few simple, practical strategies:

💛 Dial down the impact (for now)
Shorter running strides, lower jumps, or slightly lighter weights can make a big difference while your body builds better support.

💛 Breathe with your movement
Try to keep your breathing steady and exhale during effort (like when you lift, jump, or land). Holding your breath increases pressure — and pressure is not your pelvic floor’s friend.

💛 Use extra support if needed
Some people benefit from an external pelvic support garment or an internal support like a pessary during high-impact exercise.

💛 Get personalized help
A pelvic floor physio can help figure out why leaking is happening and guide you toward the right solution — instead of just telling you to “do more Kegels.”

Bottom line?
Leaking during workouts is common — but it’s not something you have to accept as “normal.”

If you have questions or need support, I’m always here to help 💕

Mia Dang, PT, is a pelvic physiotherapist with extensive supplementary training in pelvic floor physiotherapy and perinatal care