How to Tell if Your Pelvic Floor Is Weak or Tight (and Why It Matters)

If you leak when you sneeze, cough, jump, or lift weights, you may have asked yourself:

"Is my pelvic floor too weak… or is it too tight?”

Here’s the truth: leaking can be a sign of both weakness and tightness. And sometimes, the symptoms overlap — which is why so many women feel confused about what’s really happening in their body.

In this post, I’ll walk you through the key signs of pelvic floor tightness vs weakness, why doing endless kegels isn’t always the answer, and what steps you can take to start feeling stronger, more supported, and more in control.

Why It Matters: Weakness vs. Tightness

• Weakness shows up as lack of support or control.

• Tightness comes from overuse, poor posture, or holding too much tension.

Both can lead to leaks, heaviness, or discomfort. But the way you approach healing depends on which one you’re dealing with.

The only way to get a true diagnosis is through an internal pelvic floor physical therapy assessment. But knowing the signs can help you better understand your body and advocate for the right care.

Follow along in my video below! 

Signs of a Tight Pelvic Floor

• Pain with intercourse or tampon use

• Feeling like you can’t get your breath deep into your pelvic floor

• Difficulty starting urination, or needing to go again shortly after

• “Second pee” (dribbling after finishing)

• Constipation or straining with bowel movements

• Trouble getting a strong pelvic floor contraction

• Hip, SI joint, or deep buttock pain

• Leaking with sneezing, coughing, running, or jumping

• Symptoms that mimic a UTI but test negative

• Increased leaking or discomfort after doing kegels

Signs of a Weak Pelvic Floor

• Difficulty contracting pelvic floor muscles

• Leaking when you cough, sneeze, jump, run, or lift

• Feeling of heaviness, pressure, or bulging in the vagina

• Trouble keeping cups or tampons in place

• Constipation

• Reduced sexual sensation or function

• Poor core stability → back or hip pain

• Leaking gas or bowel accidents

• Symptoms improve with kegels

What If You Have Both?

Here’s the tricky part: many women experience both.

For example, you might have tightness in the back of your pelvic floor and weakness in the front. Or tension from stress and posture habits layered on top of muscle laxity after childbirth.

That’s why it’s so important to:

• Build awareness of your body
• Improve posture + daily habits
• Reconnect your breath, core, and pelvic floor

Why Kegels Aren’t Always the Answer

If you have pelvic floor tightness, doing more kegels can actually make symptoms worse.
Instead, focus first on:

• Releasing tension through breathing, posture, and mobility work

• Then rebuilding strength and support with functional movements

This balanced approach helps your pelvic floor respond naturally — without over-clenching or over-straining.

When to See a Pelvic Floor PT

While symptoms give us clues, nothing replaces a professional assessment. An internal pelvic floor physical therapist can:

• Check for tightness vs weakness (or both)

• Teach you how to breathe and move for better support

• Give you a customized plan to reduce leaks and improve function

My Top Resources to Start Healing

Ready to take action? Here are my most popular tools:

👉 FREE Pelvic Floor Blueprint  — symptom checklist + strategies to start today

This free guide walks you through the exact strategies I’ve used to help 1k+ moms reduce prolapse symptoms and finally feel in control of their bodies again so they can get back to the workouts they love without  symptoms

👉 8-Minute Pelvic Floor Release Workout  — best if you suspect tightness

👉 Check out the 10-minute pelvic floor workout better than kegels

👉 Core Restore: 4-Week Corrective Exercise Program 

👉 PelvicLIFT Strength Training Challenge  – for moms with prolapse + leaking

The 4 week At-home full-body strength training challenge for moms with Prolapse & Leaking so you can tone your body while reversing symptoms. Rebuild Strength. Reduce Leaks. Support ProlapseOne Workout at a Time.