How to Protect Your Pelvic Floor During Cold & Flu Season
Pelvic floor physical therapy is likely not the first thing you think about when your not feeling well BUT cold and flu season means runny noses, scratchy throats… and often, a whole lot of coughing and sneezing. For women, that extra pressure on the body can take a toll on the pelvic floor. You may notice leaking when you cough, a feeling of heaviness, or even low back or hip tightness that you didn’t have before.
The truth is, every cough and sneeze is like a mini workout for your core and pelvic floor. If your body isn’t managing pressure well, those muscles can become strained, weak, or overworked. But with a few intentional strategies, you can protect your pelvic floor and move through sick season with more confidence.
The Connection Between Your Pelvic Floor and Diaphragm
Your pelvic floor and diaphragm are teammates. Every time you breathe, cough, or sneeze, they should move together. As you inhale, your diaphragm lowers and your pelvic floor lengthens. As you exhale, your diaphragm lifts and your pelvic floor gently recoils upward.
When you get sick and cough frequently, this rhythm gets disrupted. Instead of working together, pressure can get “trapped” in your abdomen and push downward on your pelvic floor. That’s why women often experience leaks, heaviness, or pelvic discomfort during illness.
Why Pressure Management Matters
Think of your core as a pressure system: diaphragm on top, pelvic floor on the bottom, with your abs and back muscles wrapping around the sides. When pressure builds—like during a cough or sneeze—your body has to manage it efficiently.
Good pressure management = your core and pelvic floor share the load, absorbing the force without strain.
Poor pressure management = all that force shoots downward, straining the pelvic floor and causing leaks, pressure, or pain.
The goal isn’t to “clench harder,” but to coordinate your breath, posture, and muscles so pressure moves where it should.
To learn exactly why we leak with coughing and what is happening with your pressure management system check out our blog : Say Goodbye to Urine Leakage: Effective Tips to Stop leaking When Coughing
5 Ways to Protect Your Pelvic Floor This Season
1. Cough Mechanics Matter
Balloons are one of the best ways to mimic a cough/laugh/sneeze. This helps clients learn to coordinate their breath with pelvic floor activation and relaxation.
When done correctly, blowing up a balloon:
Promotes diaphragmatic control and coordination with you pelvic floor
Enhances pelvic floor strength
Improves pressure regulation with coughing, laughing, sneezing
This training builds strength and function from the inside out—no endless Kegels required.
Start laying on you back as shown below and try to slowly work your way up to blowing up a balloon while walking around your home. As you automate this process with NO pressure, heaviness, an urge to pee or leak you will then be able to carry over these skills into coughing WITHOUT leaking.
2. Can Your Pelvic FLoor move through its full range?
Stress incontinence aka leaking with coughing, isn't just about strength—it’s also about mobility.
Imagine if you were trying to do a bicep curl but you could only bend your elbow half way? That would greatly affect your ability to complete a full curl, wouldn’t it?
Something similar can happen at your pelvic floor. If your pelvic floor is tight and is already resting higher than it is supposed to, it will have limited ability to contract and fight against downward pressure. This limited ability to move through its full range and contract will full force and can lead to unnecessary leaks.
So how do you gain full range of your pelvic floor? 360 breathing!
Give this a try and see if you can feel you pelvic floor descend on the inhale and ascend on your exhale!
Not as easy as it looks? Give us a call at 678-413-5587 and we can help you connect into your pelvic floors potential
3. Lower Abdominal Strengthening: Building Deep Core Support
Your lower abdominals—especially the transverse abdominis (TA)—are crucial for providing core stability and pelvic organ support. The TA acts like a natural corset, wrapping around your torso and working synergistically with your pelvic floor to manage pressure and maintain bladder control.
When the TA isn’t activating properly—which is common in people with incontinence, especially postpartum or during menopause—your body loses its internal support system. This can lead to uncoordinated movement, pelvic pressure, and yes, bladder leaks.
Why the Mind-Muscle Connection Matters
It’s not just about strengthening the muscle—it’s about retraining your brain to connect to that muscle. Many people have a “disconnect” in this area and unknowingly over-recruit their upper abs which can actually increase pressure down on the pelvic floor.
That’s why at Empower PT and Wellness, we take a intentional approach to reconnect the core and pelvic floor through targeted, functional movement.
Try these exercises to see if you can get a deep burn from your belly button down!
Iso press and extend
Bear plank with inner thigh squeeze
These foundational exercises retrain your body to activate the right muscles at the right time—whether you’re sneezing, lifting your toddler, or sprinting toward the bathroom. They’re simple but powerful steps toward regaining confidence, bladder control, and a stronger connection to your core.
4. Do you Clench your glutes?
The way you stand throughout the day has a bigger impact on your core and pelvic floor than most people realize. Standing with your ribs stacked over your pelvis allows your diaphragm, deep core, and pelvic floor to work together as a pressure system. This “stacked posture” keeps everything in line so your body can manage pressure efficiently with every breath, cough, laugh, or lift. Over time, this simple awareness of how you carry yourself builds better support, improves coordination, and reduces unnecessary strain on your back, hips, and pelvic floor.
What often gets in the way is the habit of clenching your glutes while standing. While it may feel like you’re creating stability, a clenched booty actually restricts the pelvic floor’s ability to move through its full range of motion. Instead of responding naturally—lengthening on the inhale and lifting on the exhale—your pelvic floor stays “stuck,” which can lead to tension, weakness, or even leaking. Learning to stack without clenching gives your pelvic floor space to function the way it’s designed, making it stronger, more resilient, and more responsive when you need it.
Skip the Leg Crossing—Try a Hinge Instead
Many women instinctively cross their legs when they feel a sneeze or cough coming on, thinking it will help prevent leaking. While it might feel protective, leg crossing actually isn’t the most effective way to support your pelvic floor. Crossing your legs jams the pelvis and doesn’t redirect pressure in a helpful way—so the force from a cough or sneeze still pushes downward toward your vaginal opening, which can strain the pelvic floor over time.
A better option is to hinge at your hips. By leaning slightly forward, you create both length and activation through your glutes while shifting the pressure path. Instead of bearing down on your pelvic floor, the force gets redirected upward against your pubic bone. This position also helps you naturally engage your lower abs, giving your body more support and stability in the moment. The hinge not only protects your pelvic floor but also teaches your core system to respond more effectively with everyday pressure demands.
See the video below to learn how to practice this more effective position!
When to Get Help
If coughing and sneezing are leaving you with leaks, heaviness, or discomfort it’s worth talking to a pelvic floor physical therapist. With the right strategies, you can rebuild strength, restore coordination, and stop worrying about your pelvic floor every time you get sick.
how pelvic floor physical Therapy helps
Pelvic floor physical therapy involves much more than what we discussed in this blog and can help you put all the puzzle pieces together to find the root cause of your dysfunction
Give these tips try and let us know if you feel a difference in your stress incontinence
And remember: these are just starting points. When guided by a pelvic floor physical therapist, we can build a customized plan that progresses your strength safely and effectively, tailored to your life and goals.
Bottom Line
Cold and flu season is tough enough—you shouldn’t have to deal with leaks, pressure, or pelvic pain on top of it. By learning how your diaphragm and pelvic floor work together and practicing smart pressure management, you can support your body through every cough and sneeze. And if symptoms don’t improve? You don’t have to just “deal with it”—expert pelvic floor care is here to help.
Hi! We are Dr.Aimee and Dr. Lauren
We are the owners of Empower Physical Therapy and Wellness. We are pelvic floor physical therapists who specialize in helping women from pregnancy, into postpartum and through perimenopause, menopause and then beyond! We believe all women deserve to do all of the things they love without symptoms!
You can contact us via our website, email at hello@weempowerpt.com or social media!
The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or symptoms. Never disregard professional medical advice or p in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of any medical or healthcare institutions.
