Leaking When You Run? Here’s Why It Happens (and What to Do About It)

You’re out on a run, finally hitting your stride—and then it happens.

That dreaded little leak.

You slow down. You feel frustrated. Maybe even embarrassed. And if you’re like so many women I work with, you’re wondering: “Why is this happening? And what can I do about it?”

Let’s break down exactly why running can cause bladder leaks—and how you can take back control of your body, your confidence, and your runs.

1. Your Pelvic Floor Is Overloaded

Let’s start with the basics: running = impact. And every step sends a shockwave up through your body—legs, hips, core, and pelvis. Your pelvic floor is the bottom of that pressure system. If your body isn’t absorbing impact well—because of poor posture, weak glutes, or lack of deep core support—your pelvic floor takes the hit.

Over time, this constant overload can lead to stress incontinence: leaks when you run, jump, or sneeze.

Signs this might be you:

• You leak with movement (especially toward the end of a run)
• You feel pressure or heaviness during or after impact
• You’ve never been shown how to run in a pelvic-floor-friendly way

2. You’re Holding Tension (It’s Not Just Weakness)

We often hear “just strengthen your pelvic floor”… but if your pelvic floor is already overactive, adding more contractions can actually make things worse.

A hypertonic pelvic floor—tight, held, and unable to fully relax—can’t do its job properly. These muscles need to move through a full range of motion to create control. Constant tension means they can’t absorb pressure, rebound effectively, or contract when needed.

You might relate if:

• You feel tightness, burning, or pain during or after running
• You’ve done lots of “Kegels” but they haven’t helped
• You tend to clench your jaw, glutes, or abs (tension shows up in patterns)

3. Your Breath Is Out Of Sync

Your breath is the unsung hero of pelvic floor health. Your diaphragm and pelvic floor work together—like a piston—managing pressure with every inhale and exhale.

But here’s the thing: when you hold your breath or breathe shallowly (like many people do during hard effort), that pressure has nowhere to go but down—right into your pelvic floor.

Over time, that pressure builds… and leaks happen.

Sound familiar?

• You hold your breath when running up hills or pushing your pace
• You breathe into your chest, not your ribs or belly
• You’ve never been taught how to connect your breath to your movement

So, What Can I Do About It?

This is the part no one tells you—you don’t need to stop running. You just need a strategy.

Here’s what actually works:

1. Master 360° Breathing

Before you can strengthen anything, you need to learn how to breathe in a way that supports your pelvic floor—not works against it.

360° breathing trains your diaphragm and pelvic floor to work together. When you inhale, the pelvic floor gently expands. When you exhale, it naturally recoils and lifts. This rhythm is the foundation for managing pressure while you move.

Practice this daily:

• Inhale through your nose—feel expansion in your ribs and belly (not just your chest)
• Exhale slowly, feeling your pelvic floor gently lift
• Keep your jaw, glutes, and shoulders soft

This is your power tool. It connects your breath, core, and pelvic floor into one strong, resilient system.

2. Balance Strength and Release

You can’t just strengthen your way out of pelvic floor issues. Real progress comes from balancing activation and relaxation—like training any high-performing muscle.

Your pelvic floor needs to lift and engage when needed (like during a run), but also let go and soften when at rest. Constantly holding tension can lead to poor blood flow, fatigue, and symptoms like leaking or heaviness.

What to include in your training:

• Functional strength exercises: squats, glute bridges, bird-dogs, lunges
• Release work: happy baby, child’s pose, deep squats with breathing
• Coordination drills: exhale on effort, use breath during movement

Think of it like strength with softness. That’s where control lives.

3. Rebuild Your Running Mechanics

Running is a skill—and your form matters more than you think, especially when it comes to pelvic floor health.

Small tweaks in how you move can dramatically reduce the impact forces your pelvic floor has to absorb.

Key adjustments:

• Shorten your stride—overstriding increases braking forces
• Slight forward lean—from your ankles, not your hips
• Land softly and keep your cadence up—aim for 170–180 steps per minute
• Sync breath with effort—exhale when you push, lift, or run uphill

Bonus tip: train your glutes, feet, and deep core—they’re all part of the pelvic floor support team.

4. Follow a Proven Plan

Random workouts won’t get you there. You need a plan that’s designed specifically for pelvic floor-safe running—something that rebuilds from the ground up.

That means:

• Starting with breath and mobility
• Layering in pelvic floor and core strength
• Integrating full-body movements
• Progressing to a running plan that respects recovery and impact

And yes, it should also be time-efficient, simple, and actually doable within your life.

That’s why I created Pelvic Floor Strength for Runners—so you don’t have to guess what to do next.

Final Thoughts

If you’re leaking while you run, you’re not broken.

You’re not alone.

And you’re absolutely not done running.

Your pelvic floor is adaptable, trainable, and incredibly responsive when it’s given the right support. You just need the tools, the strategy, and the confidence to get started.