Episode 56 - How to Strengthen the Pelvic Floor for Running — Not Just Manage the Symptoms

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Alison challenges the taboo around pelvic floor health and argues that it should be understood as a vital part of movement and performance—not just something discussed when problems arise. She explains that the pelvic floor works dynamically with the core and diaphragm to manage force during running, contributing to efficiency and resilience. Rather than relying on generic Kegels or waiting for symptoms like leaking or pain, she encourages education, open conversation, and body awareness. The episode ends with an invitation to a free March 8 webinar focused on empowering runners to better understand and assess their pelvic health.

Key Takeaways:

• Pelvic floor health is overly stigmatized. It’s often treated as taboo and only discussed when symptoms like leaking, pain, or prolapse appear, which limits education and prevention.
• The pelvic floor is part of the movement system. It works dynamically with the diaphragm, abdominals, hips, and feet to manage pressure and transfer force during activities like running.
• Language and literacy reduce fear. Learning accurate anatomy and normalizing conversations about the body helps people interpret symptoms as signals, not signs of being broken.
• Proactive education is empowering. Understanding pelvic floor function before symptoms arise can improve performance, prevent issues, and create a healthier, more confident relationship with the body.

Time Stamps:

[00:00] - Introduction + The Shower Thought

[01:46] - The Cost of Silence and Stigma

[04:56] - Reframing the Pelvic Floor as a Movement System

[07:44] - The Pelvic Floor’s Role in Running Performance

[10:52] - From Symptoms to Literacy and Empowerment

[13:54] - Course Relaunch + Webinar Invitation

Resources Mentioned:

• Aqua Notes Note Pad: https://amzn.to/463aNkL 
• The Pelvic Floor Audit for Runners COMING SOON. Make sure you are on the email list to ensure you don’t miss it: https://alisonmariephd.kit.com/profile 

Quotes:

• “We need to start talking about the pelvic floor as part of our movement system, not as something we have to manage only when we're managing symptoms.”
• “Pelvic health improves not just when we train muscles, but when we replace the taboo and the silence and avoidance with understanding.”

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