Stop Wearing Your Running Shoes to Lift – and Protect Your Pelvic Floor
Why Your Lifting Shoes Matter More Than You Think (Especially for Your Pelvic Floor)
Most people think their shoes don’t matter in the weight room. But if you’re wearing running shoes for heavy lifts, you could be sabotaging your strength and putting extra stress on your pelvic floor. As a coach who specializes in postpartum and women’s strength training, I’ve seen this firsthand. The good news? With a few simple changes to your footwear, you can improve your lifting mechanics, support your pelvic health, and feel stronger under the bar.
1. Running Shoes Are Built for Movement – Not Stability
Running shoes are designed to absorb impact and propel you forward. Thick, cushioned midsoles and elevated heels compress under load. This works beautifully for running, but under a heavy squat, deadlift, or press, the same features:
Shift your center of mass forward
Make it harder to keep your feet and hips aligned
Create instability up the kinetic chain (ankles → knees → hips → pelvic floor)
This instability increases intra-abdominal pressure in unpredictable ways, forcing your pelvic floor to “catch” the load instead of supporting it through optimal alignment 【1,2】. Over time this can contribute to heaviness, discomfort, or leakage during training.
2. Your Foot is Your Foundation – The Tripod Concept
Think of your foot as a tripod with three key contact points:
Big toe
Little toe
Heel
A strong tripod distributes force evenly and keeps your whole body aligned. Spreading your toes and actively rooting your foot creates a more stable base, improves force transfer, and allows your core and pelvic floor to coordinate properly with your diaphragm 【3,4】.
With running shoes, this tripod effect is lost because the soft sole collapses. You can’t “grab” the floor effectively, which undermines everything above it.
3. Pelvic Floor Health and Pressure Management
Your pelvic floor works with your diaphragm, deep abdominals, and spinal stabilizers to manage pressure when you lift. If your foundation is unstable, you’re more likely to:
Bear down (increase downward pressure) instead of bracing efficiently
Lose alignment of your rib cage over your pelvis
Compensate through your hips or low back
All of this can increase stress on the pelvic floor muscles, especially postpartum or in athletes with pre-existing pelvic health concerns 【2,5】.
4. The Right Shoes for the Job
Here’s what to look for when choosing lifting shoes:
Flat, firm, minimal cushion – allows you to root into the floor
Wide toe box – gives your toes space to spread
Stable sole – no squish or side-to-side wobble
My Top Picks:
Reebok Nano or Flux Trainers – excellent for most lifts, wide toe box, flat, firm base.
Olympic Lifters (e.g., Reebok Legacy Lifters) – raised heel but still firm and stable; great for squats and Olympic lifts if you need more ankle mobility.
Barefoot or Barefoot-Style Shoes – perfect for deadlifts or movements where ground feel is essential.
What to Skip:
Running Shoes – too soft, too high, designed for forward propulsion.
Converse for Heavy Loads – flat but too narrow to create a strong tripod.
5. Putting It Into Practice
Before your next session, try these steps:
Warm up your feet – toe splay, arch lifts, and ankle mobility drills.
Pick the right shoe for the lift.
Cue yourself: “Big toe, little toe, heel” and “spread the floor with your feet.”
Breathe 360° into your rib cage and belly while keeping your ribs stacked over your pelvis.
You’ll notice instantly how much more stable and powerful you feel.
6. The Takeaway
Your feet are your foundation. By ditching running shoes for heavy lifts, you’re not only improving your force transfer and stability but also protecting your pelvic floor. For women (and especially postpartum athletes), this can mean less pain, less leakage, and more confidence under the bar.
References:
Chia KL et al., Sports Biomechanics 2021 – Running shoe midsole compression alters force distribution under load.
Smith MD et al., Neurourology and Urodynamics 2020 – Relationship between intra-abdominal pressure and pelvic floor loading during heavy lifting.
Rathleff MS et al., Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 2019 – Foot stability and force transfer in resistance training.
Bo K, Frawley HC. Strength Training and the Pelvic Floor: A Systematic Review, 2022.
Thompson J et al., International Urogynecology Journal 2022 – Impact of lifting mechanics on pelvic floor stress.
Want more science-backed tips on training and pelvic floor health? Sign up for my email list or follow me on Instagram @prettyinpink_fitness for weekly training and nutrition strategies tailored to strong moms and women who lift.
