Common Pelvic Floor Symptoms Women Ignore — and Why They Shouldn’t

Bladder leakage

Leaking urine during exercise, coughing, or sneezing is called stress urinary incontinence. Urgency or leaking before reaching the toilet is another common type.

These symptoms affect quality of life and often lead women to avoid exercise or social activities (Haylen et al., 2010). Pelvic floor muscle training is considered first-line treatment and is highly effective when done correctly (Bo et al., 2017).

Pelvic organ prolapse symptoms

Prolapse occurs when pelvic organs move lower due to reduced support. Symptoms may include:

• A feeling of heaviness or pressure or dragging
• A bulge sensation within the vagina
• Discomfort during exercise or standing

Early symptoms are often subtle. Addressing them early can reduce progression and improve comfort (Hagen & Stark, 2011).

Pelvic pain

Pelvic pain can occur with exercise, intercourse, or daily activities. It is not always linked to weakness — sometimes the pelvic floor is overactive or poorly coordinated.

Ignoring pain can lead to long-term muscle tension and reduced function.

Bowel symptoms

Constipation, straining, or difficulty emptying the bowel place extra strain on the pelvic floor. Chronic straining is a known risk factor for pelvic floor dysfunction (Rao et al., 2016).

Addressing bowel habits is an important part of pelvic health care. There are many women out there whom do not fully empty their bowels properly!

Why women delay seeking help

Common reasons include:

• Embarrassment
• Thinking symptoms are normal
• Not knowing help is available

Research shows many women wait years before discussing pelvic floor symptoms with a health professional (Milsom et al., 2019).

What early support can do

Early pelvic health physiotherapy can:

• Improve symptoms
• Support safe return to exercise
• Reduce long-term complications

The earlier symptoms are addressed, the easier they are to manage.

 

The take-home message

Pelvic floor symptoms are common, but they are not something to ignore.

Support is available, and early action can make a meaningful difference to comfort, confidence, and long-term health.

References

Bo, K., et al. (2017). Pelvic floor muscle training. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 36(2), 268–276.
Hagen, S., & Stark, D. (2011). Conservative prevention and management of pelvic organ prolapse. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Haylen, B. T., et al. (2010). An International Urogynecological Association report. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 29(1), 4–20.

Rao, S. S. C., et al. (2016). Diagnosis and management of chronic constipation. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 111(1), 18–38.

Milsom, I., et al. (2019). Epidemiology of urinary incontinence. Nature Reviews Urology, 16(8), 415–435.