09/19/2026
Why this matters — and why traditional ab crunches can be unsafe for the pelvic floor
- Crunches raise intra-abdominal pressure sharply.
That pressure pushes down on an already vulnerable pelvic floor, increasing risk of pelvic organ prolapse, urinary leakage, and pelvic pain — especially after childbirth, with diastasis recti, or during/after menopause.
- Crunches often reinforce a shallow, chest-breathing pattern and a rigid belly brace that prevents proper pelvic floor coordination and diaphragm-pelvic floor timing. G
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- If you have a wide diastasis (ab separation), crunches can worsen the gap and impair core function.
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Safer, more effective core approach (focus on pelvic-floor health)
- Begin with diaphragmatic breathing + gentle pelvic floor engagement (learn timing: inhale relax, exhale soften/engage). $
- Train low-pressure, functional core patterns before high-load moves: pelvic tilts, heel slides, dead bugs, bird-dogs, glute bridges, side planks, and farmer's carries with neutral spine.
- Progress by adding load and standing, keeping breathing and pelvic-floor coordination intact (avoid breath-holding and violent crunching). @
- If you have leakage, heaviness, pain, or known prolapse/diastasis, consult a pelvic-floor physiotherapist before progressing. Yo
Practical tip: think "core connection" not "crunch reps" - quality, breathing, and pelvic-floor timing beat high reps of crunches every time.
Comment "Core" to access the free 7-part Core Back Immersion Therapy video series to revive pelvic floor health and learn safe progressions.