Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Gymnasts & Cheerleaders – What No One is Talking About
67% of cheerleaders and gymnasts experience urinary incontinence, and 84% deal with fecal incontinence
As a former competitive cheerleader. I was not surprised to see this statistic. Growing up, I remember team mates who had to bring 3 pairs of underwear to every practice and had to own several pairs of bloomers because they leaked so much the sparkle would rub off. Yet, no one talked about what was happening or why? The girls never brought it up to the coaches and as teammates we didn't know what to do so it really just was ignored. So despite the high prevalence, no ones was talking about it.
There are so many huge positives to competitive sports from strength building, trust, learning to working as a team, building friendship and so much more but if we continue to ignore the necessary training and education needed to help protect our kids and teens we are actually doing them a disservice.
According to Skaug, K.L., Engh, M.E., Frawley, H. et al. 41% of athletes had never heard about the pelvic floor, and 74% reported an interest in learning how to prevent their pelvic floor symptoms. Continuing to ignore pelvic floor dysfunction can lead to long- term issues that continue to get worse as we progress through future pregnancies, perimenopause and menopause
Why Gymnasts & Cheerleaders Are at High Risk for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Gymnasts and cheerleaders are at higher risks of pelvic floor dysfunction due to the nature of their sport including:
High-impact landings & tumbling
Excessive core engagement and gripping
Poor pressure management strategies
Lack of education
Training more than 4 days a week
Signs of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Gymnasts & Cheerleaders
Leaking urine with tumbling, jumps, or stunts.
Bowel leakage or difficulty controlling gas.
Pelvic pain or pressure, especially after practice or competition.
Lower back pain, hip pain, or feeling like your core is "weak."
Glute clenching or upper ab gripping
Things coaches and parents can look out for:
Frequent trips to the bathroom throughout practice
Smell of urine or feces on clothes or in gym bag
Using pads or tampons as a support to try and hide leaking
Frequent complaints of low back pain or hip pain
Seeming disinterested in practice and trying to get out of tumbling or jumping skills
Why Addressing This Matters, For Now & the Future
Pelvic floor dysfunction during sport massively affects someone's quality of life and often leads to them dropping out of sports altogether.
By ignoring pelvic floor dysfunction in kids and teens we are creating a much harder path for them as they continue to grow in athletics.
I hate to hear women say:
I don’t have a core
I cant workout because i’ll pee myself
Im afraid to jump
I dont trust my body to not fail me
Im embarrassed to wear colorful outfits because I leak
We can stop the pattern now and help empower kids and teens to:
learn about their bodies and what is and is not normal
how to manage pressure and protect their pelvic floor vs bear down into it
Gain balanced strength that supports pelvic floor function
Feel confident when performing high impact activities for a better quality of lift
Learn how to prevent future pelvic floor dysfunction
What Can Be Done to Prevent & Manage Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
First and foremost, if you haven't already taken this away from this blog. Incontinence is common but NOT normal and can be resolved with conservative treatment. NO one deserves to have to struggle with incontinence and there is hope! What can you do?
Pelvic floor physical therapy → Learning proper engagement and relaxation techniques.
Breathwork & pressure management → Avoiding breath-holding and bracing.
Proper core training → Strengthening without over-engaging the pelvic floor.
Education for athletes, coaches, and parents → Spreading awareness so no athlete suffers in silence.
Our kids deserve better and we can help make that change. You are the front line of defence for your kid and helping them to feel confident and strong in their bodies.
Breaking the Silence & Taking Action
Young athletes deserve to perform without pelvic pain, pressure, or leakage. By helping to educate athletes, their parents and the coaches we can help increase awareness and prevent urinary and fecal incontinence while helping to build up our athletes confidence, strength and power.
The time is now to help stop the cycle of shame and hiding and shift it towards improved performance and helping to prevent long term pelvic floor issues.
If you have a cheerleader or gymnast and want to learn more about how we can help prevent pelvic floor dysfunction please reach out!
Dig Deeper: Uncover More Secrets to Pelvic Floor Health
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 delay 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.
