Pelvic Floor Therapy for Athletes: How It Can Improve Performance and Recovery

When you think of sports performance, your mind probably jumps to strength, endurance, and maybe a good recovery routine. But what if we told you that one of the most overlooked pieces of athletic performance lives deep within your core—and many athletes don’t even know it’s a problem?

We’re talking about your pelvic floor.

This hidden group of muscles plays a huge role in stability, power generation, breathing, and yes—even injury prevention. If you’re an athlete dealing with nagging pain, core weakness, or unexplained leaks (yep, that too), pelvic floor therapy might be the missing link.

Let’s break down why.

What Is Pelvic Floor Therapy, Anyway?

Pelvic floor therapy is a specialized branch of physical therapy that focuses on the muscles at the base of your pelvis—muscles that support your core, bladder, bowel function,sexual health and contribute to spinal stability.

At Breakaway Physical Therapy in Crofton, MD, we work with athletes of all levels who are surprised to learn that these deep core muscles are impacting their performance more than they ever realized.

Whether you're a runner trying to shave seconds off your mile time, a cyclist struggling with saddle pressure, or a weightlifter dealing with back pain—your pelvic floor might be part of the equation.

Signs Your Pelvic Floor Might Be Holding You Back

Here’s the thing: pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t always show up as obvious symptoms. Many athletes push through issues without realizing what’s really going on beneath the surface.

Common signs we see in our active clients include:

✓ Core weakness or “coning” during exercises
✓ Leaking during high-impact activities (like jumping, sprinting or lifting weights)
✓ Hip or low back pain that keeps returning
✓ Feeling unstable or off-balance during lifts or runs
✓ Difficulty coordinating breath with movement

Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone—and you’re not stuck. This is exactly where pelvic floor therapy for athletes shines.

Boosting Sports Performance Through Pelvic Floor Optimization

Think of your pelvic floor as the foundation of your powerhouse. When it’s not functioning well, everything built on top of it—core strength, power output, stability—can start to falter.

With targeted pelvic floor physical therapy, athletes can:

✓ Improve postural control and balance
✓ Coordinate breath, core, and pelvic floor for better movement efficiency
✓ Generate more power through lifts and strides
✓ Reduce risk of sports-related injuries
✓ Bounce

It’s not about slowing you down. It’s about unlocking performance that lasts—without compromising your body in the process.

Pelvic Floor Therapy = Smarter Sports Injury Recovery

Injured? Coming back from overtraining or burnout? Pelvic floor therapy isn’t just for peak performance—it’s also an essential tool for smarter, faster, more complete recovery.

By addressing the deeper core and stabilizing system of the body, we can help reduce compensatory patterns, protect against re-injury, and retrain movement mechanics from the inside out.

If you've tried traditional sports injury recovery routes without success, it may be time to look deeper—literally.

Functional Pelvic Floor Exercises for Athletes (Hint: It’s Not Just Kegels)

Pelvic floor therapy isn’t just about gentle squeezes on a yoga ball. For athletes, it’s about learning how this often-overlooked group of muscles supports core stability, power, and control during the high-demand movements of sport.

Here are a few sample exercises we might include—depending on your sport, symptoms, and goals:

360° Breathing with Load

Great for runners, lifters, and cyclists who need better breath control and core stability

✓ Helps coordinate your diaphragm and pelvic floor under pressure
✓ Reinforces core activation during dynamic movement


Heel Slides with Exhale + Pelvic Floor Lift

Perfect for runners or postpartum athletes returning to core training

✓ Encourages pelvic floor engagement during limb movement
✓ Supports motor control without over-bracing


Deep Squat Breathing

Useful for CrossFitters, lifters, or anyone training explosive power

✓ Teaches pelvic floor coordination at the bottom of a loaded movement
✓ Helps avoid bearing down during heavy lifts


Single-Leg Glute Bridge with Band Tension

For athletes with hip instability or running form breakdowns

✓ Trains posterior chain and pelvic floor at the same time
✓ Mimics running stride mechanics


Farmer’s Carries with Breath Control

Great for almost every athlete—especially those returning from injury

✓Challenges stability, core engagement, and breath-pelvic floor synergy under load


Note: these aren’t cookie-cutter moves. The right pelvic floor exercises depend on you—your sport, your symptoms, your goals. We start with the basics and once you have mastered that, the progression is endless ensuring that you are ready to tackle your sport without any symptoms holding you back. 

Let’s Help You Move Better, Stronger, and With Confidence

At Breakaway Physical Therapy in Crofton, we specialize in performance-minded care that doesn’t just treat pain—it elevates how your body moves.

Whether you’re struggling with symptoms or just want to get ahead of them, our team is here to help you get stronger from the inside out.