Clinically Pressed

Pelvic floor health is an often overlooked, but critically important aspect of female athlete health and performance. Despite increasing awareness, many athletes, coaches, and practitioners remain unaware of how common pelvic floor dysfunction is among female athletes and how significantly it can impact both performance and quality of life.In this episode of Clinically Pressed, Andrew Jagim sits down with Dr. Lisa VanWiel (University of Wisconsin–La Crosse) to discuss pelvic floor health in female athletes, with a particular focus on urinary incontinence, one of the most common symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction. Research suggests that 60–70% of female athletes experience some degree of urinary incontinence, particularly in sports that involve running, jumping, and high-impact movements. Despite its high prevalence, many athletes are reluctant to discuss these issues or may assume it is simply a normal consequence of sport participation.Dr. VanWiel helps break down why pelvic floor health matters for athlet