Pelvic Floor Health for Nurses
Pelvic Floor Health for Nurses: What You Need to Know & What No One Talks About
Let’s be real—how often do you actually take a bathroom break when you need one? If you’re like most nurses, you’ve mastered the art of holding it, chugging coffee, maybe avoiding water, and eating whatever snack you can grab between call lights. But while you’re busy taking care of everyone else, your pelvic floor might be struggling.
Urinary retention, leaking, constipation—these are common among nurses, but they’re rarely talked about. The good news? Small shifts in your routine can make a big difference. Let’s break it all down.
Urinary Retention: The "I’ll Go Later" Habit
We’ve all done it—ignored the urge to pee because there’s just no time. But consistently holding your bladder for hours can cause:
Bladder overdistension – Your bladder stretches too much, making it harder to contract properly or fully.
Incomplete emptying – Leaving urine behind increases your risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs).
A disrupted brain-bladder connection – Over time, your body might stop sending strong “time to pee” signals, making it harder to go when you finally have a break.
What You Can Do:
✅ Try to urinate every 3-4 hours, even if it means sneaking into the bathroom between patient rounds.
✅ If you have trouble emptying, try: pelvic tilts, pelvic circles, gentle bladder tapping, or double voiding—after peeing, stand up then sit back down and take a deep breath to start again.
✅ Don’t rush or push! Let your bladder do the work. On average it should take 8-10 seconds to pee. Try to give yourself that!
Leaking: The Unspoken Problem
On the flip side, some nurses deal with stress urinary incontinence (SUI)—leaking when coughing, sneezing, laughing or lifting patients. It’s frustrating (and let’s be honest, a little embarrassing), but it’s also unfortunately common. Long shifts, heavy lifting, and high stress can weaken the pelvic floor over time, making leakage more likely.
What Helps:
✅ Engage your deep core before lifting – Instead of just trying to kegel, think of also zipping up your core and imagine pulling your hip bones together to really get your lower abs to turn on to support you.
✅ Exhale on exertion – Breathe out when lifting or moving patients instead of holding your breath. And coordinate that exhale with your kegel and deep core!
✅ Strengthen beyond Kegels – Squats, hip bridges, and diaphragmatic breathing help improve pelvic floor coordination so much more than isolated kegels alone.
Postural Awareness: The Way You Stand and Move Matters
Long shifts mean hours on your feet, often in less-than-ideal postures. Poor posture—whether it's slouching, arching your back, swayback, or standing with your weight shifted to one side—can put extra strain on your pelvic floor.
When your alignment is off, your pelvic floor muscles have to work harder to support you. Over time, this can lead to dysfunction, contributing to:
Increased pelvic pain or tension
More leakage during movement
Lower back pain that affects core stability
Posture Tips for Pelvic Floor Support:
✅ Stack your ribs over your pelvis – Imagine a string pulling you up from the crown of your head, keeping your torso aligned.
✅ Keep your weight evenly distributed – Try not to favor one hip while standing. Shift your weight back and forth to avoid excessive pressure on one side.
✅ Engage your deep core – Instead of engaging your core by sucking in your belly button to your spine (which may cause some people to over-activate their upper abs or crunch over and increase downwards pressure), do a light kegel lift from your pelvic floor and tighten your lower belly like a string is being pulled between your hip bones.
✅ Breathe fully – Deep, diaphragmatic breathing supports core and pelvic floor function. Avoid shallow chest breathing, which can create unnecessary accessory muscle tension.
A strong pelvic floor isn’t just about doing exercises—it’s also about how you carry yourself throughout your shift!
Hydration: The Struggle to find Balance
A lot of nurses avoid drinking water so they won’t have to pee constantly. While that seems practical, dehydration can actually make things worse by: Irritating the bladder, leading to more urgency and frequency; Causing constipation, which puts pressure on the pelvic floor; Making you feel even more exhausted, affecting energy levels and focus.
Easy Wins:
✅ Keep a water bottle nearby and sip throughout your shift instead of chugging when you get home.
✅ If plain water is boring, try electrolyte tablets, flavored water, or herbal tea.
✅ Pair hydration with habits—take a sip every time you check vitals or finish a patient note.
Constipation: The Silent Pelvic Floor Strain
Between long shifts, unpredictable eating schedules, and stress, digestive issues like constipation are also unfortunately common. Being backed-up can lead to pelvic pain and pressure, but straining to go can lead to pelvic floor dysfunction, hemorrhoids, and even prolapse over time.
Make Things Easier:
✅ Eat fiber-rich snacks when you can—fruits, seeds, and whole grains are great options.
✅ Use a footstool when you go—this puts your body in a better position for easier bowel movements.
✅ Move when you can—even short stretches, aiming for rotation and flexion, or deep breaths between patients can help digestion.
Bottom Line: Small Changes, Big Relief
You show up for your patients every day—your body deserves the same care. Taking regular bathroom breaks, drinking enough water, being mindful of posture, and lifting properly can help keep your pelvic floor (and the rest of you) feeling good for the long haul.
And if you’re dealing with persistent leaking, retention, constipation, or pelvic pain? A Pelvic Floor PT can be a game-changer. You don’t have to just “deal with it”—you deserve to feel strong and comfortable in your own body. Come see us at Empowered Physical Therapy for some personalized care to get you feeling your best!
Now go grab some water (yes, right now!)—your bladder will thank you later. 😊
Phoebe Ivy PTA, RYT
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Assistant
A Washington native and new mom, Phoebe is passionate about women's health. She uses her strong orthopedic background and training as a yoga instructor as a basis for her treatment approach to help women heal from pelvic floor dysfunction. She believes movement is medicine, and works to personalize treatment to meet patients where they are in each stage of their lives.
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