For as long as I can remember, I’ve made New Year’s resolutions. Even as a kid, I loved the idea of a fresh start. I know January is “just another month” for some people, but for me, there’s always been something motivating about turning the page and starting clean.

Unsurprisingly, most New Year’s goals revolve around health and exercise.

I love that goal-setting energy. But every January, I also find myself having the same conversations with clients — reminders to slow down, be mindful, and ease in. Pelvic Floor Symptoms During Exercise typically happen when we ramp things up too fast. This includes:

• Stress incontinence
• Prolapse symptoms
• Pelvic pain

I often see stress incontinence show up during activities like:

• Running
• Jumping
• Heavy lifting
• HIIT workouts

These movements create quick spikes in pressure inside the abdomen. Ideally, the pelvic floor meets that pressure with a well-timed lift and closure.

Leakage can happen when:

• The pelvic floor reacts a split second too late
• Muscles are already fatigued
• The body braces hard instead of coordinating smoothly

One thing I always remind people: leakage doesn’t automatically mean weakness. I work with many clients who are actually quite strong — their pelvic floor just isn’t timing well under load.

Strength alone isn’t enough. Coordination matters.

Being diagnosed with prolapse often comes with a flood of conflicting advice. Some people are told to stop lifting and running altogether. Others are told to strengthen their core and pelvic floor and simply push through symptoms.

In my experience, neither extreme is helpful.

Most people with prolapse can exercise — they just need the right approach.

Activities that commonly flare prolapse symptoms include:

• Heavy lifting
• Deep squats or deadlifts
• High-impact workouts
• Running

Symptoms might feel like:

• Heaviness or dragging in the pelvis
• Pressure
• A bulging or fullness sensation

At the same time, I always remind clients that being sedentary isn’t good for pelvic health either. Muscles, joints, and connective tissue need movement to stay healthy. They need range, strength, and coordination to support the organs above them.

Instead of asking, “Should I stop exercising?” I encourage a different question:
“What type and amount of load can my body handle today?”

As intensity increases, downward pressure increases too. If the pelvic floor can’t respond well to that pressure, symptoms show up. That doesn’t mean exercise is off-limits — it means we need to adjust.

This is where pelvic physiotherapy can be so helpful. We might change how you breathe or brace, modify exercises, adjust load, or slow progressions — all with the goal of keeping you active without flaring symptoms.

Pelvic pain often flares during intense workouts for a different reason.

High-intensity training encourages:

• Bracing
• Clenching
• Pushing through fatigue

For some bodies, the pelvic floor stays “on” all the time — gripping instead of responding dynamically.

Over time, this can lead to:

• Muscle fatigue
• Reduced blood flow
• Increased sensitivity
• Pain during or after exercise, sex, or daily movement

This is something I explain often: pain doesn’t mean your pelvic floor is weak. More often, it means it doesn’t know how to fully let go.

HIIT workouts can also place a big stress load on the body. Increased cortisol, limited recovery, poor sleep — especially for new parents or people dealing with chronic pain — can make symptoms worse rather than better.

One of the most common things I hear is:

“I felt fine while I was exercising — then everything showed up later.”

This happens because muscles fatigue before we’re aware of it. Coordination drops toward the end of workouts, and the pelvic floor is often challenged most when the body is tired, not fresh.

Bootcamp classes, long runs, and high-rep workouts tend to trigger symptoms — not because they’re bad, but because fatigue changes how the system functions.

When pelvic symptoms show up during or after workouts, it doesn’t mean:

• You’re broken
• You need to stop exercising
• You should avoid strength or impact forever

More often, it’s your body asking for:

• Better pressure management
• Smarter progression
• Improved breathing strategies
• A more individualized approach

When those pieces come together, most people can get back to the workouts they love — without leakage, heaviness, or pain.

Pelvic Floor Symptoms During Exercise don’t happen in isolation — and they don’t need to be managed alone. Our pelvic floor physiotherapists in Markham are known for combining clinical expertise with clear, compassionate education, helping people stay active without ignoring their symptoms.

If intense workouts are flaring symptoms, it doesn’t mean you need to stop exercising — it usually means your body needs a more supportive plan.

Working with a pelvic health physiotherapist can help you:

• Assess how your pelvic floor responds to pressure, impact, and fatigue
• Fine-tune breathing and bracing so pressure is managed more efficiently
• Modify exercises, loads, and progressions to reduce leakage, heaviness, or pain
• Build strength and coordination so your pelvic floor can respond when it matters
• Create a gradual return-to-impact or strength plan that fits your goals and lifestyle