Pelvic Floor Dysfunction While Hiking? What Active Women in New England Need to Know
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction While Hiking? What Active Women in New England Need to Know
Hiking through the beautiful terrain of New England is one of the best ways to stay active, grounded, and connected to your body. But did you know that those rocky trails, steep climbs, and hours on your feet are also putting your pelvic floor to work?
If you've ever felt pressure, leaking, heaviness, or lower back discomfort on a hike — your pelvic floor may be trying to get your attention.
Common Pelvic Floor Symptoms During Hiking
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that supports your bladder, bowel, reproductive organs, and spine. It responds to every step, shift in terrain, and backpack load you carry. If these muscles are too tight, too weak, or out of sync with the rest of your core, you may experience symptoms like:
Leaking urine with sudden steps or steep descents
Pelvic pressure or heaviness on long hikes
Hip, back, or SI joint pain with inclines
How Pelvic Floor PT Helps Hikers
Hiking requires more than just cardio endurance — it calls for deep core strength, stability, and breath coordination. That means if you have pelvic floor dysfunction, you might notice it more on the trail than on a treadmill.
The good news? These symptoms are not just a normal part of aging or being active. And they’re not something you have to "deal with."
At Renew Health, we help active women reconnect to their pelvic floors and get back to doing what they love — including summiting Mt. Tom or exploring the White Mountains without pain or pads.
Stay tuned for the next post in our series where we tackle one of the most common questions we get: What do I do if I need to pee on the trail (and how do I stop leaking during hikes)?
Ready to Take Control of Your Pelvic Health?
At Renew Health in East Longmeadow, MA, we help hikers and active individuals overcome pelvic floor symptoms—like leaking, pressure, or discomfort on the trail—by addressing the root cause, restoring muscular balance, and providing expert guidance in movement, breath, and core coordination. Our goal is to help you feel strong, confident, and fully supported—whether you're hiking the Seven Sisters or summiting Mt. Greylock.
Curious if pelvic floor therapy is right for you? Fill out our contact form to chat with one of our pelvic health specialists!
📋 Contact Us
📍 Renew Health – East Longmeadow, MA
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do I leak urine when hiking downhill?
Leaking during downhill hiking is often due to increased intra-abdominal pressure and pelvic floor muscle fatigue or weakness.
Q: Can hiking make prolapse worse?
It can if your pelvic floor isn’t managing pressure or load well. But with proper support, hiking can actually help strengthen your core.