Here's what you need to know: pelvic pressure during long runs is common, but it's not normal or something you should accept as part of being a female athlete. It's a signal from your body that needs professional evaluation to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment.

At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, we see this pattern regularly in the weeks following major races. The good news? Post-race worsening of pelvic floor symptoms is common, usually temporary, and treatable. But it does require attention, not just rest and hope.

You crossed the finish line at the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. You achieved your goal. And now, hours or days later, everything hurts. Your quads scream with every step downstairs. Your hips are tight. You're exhausted. You're wondering: is this normal soreness or something more serious? When should you be concerned?

You've put in months of training for the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Nashville Marathon. Your mileage peaked, you're entering taper, and you should be feeling fresh. Instead, you're suddenly experiencing pain that wasn't there during peak training. Your knee aches. Your hip feels tight. Something in your body hurts, and you're panicking that you won't be able to race. If this describes you, you're experiencing one of running's most frustrating paradoxes: pain that appears durin

At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, we work with female runners facing this exact dilemma every spring. The good news? In most cases, you can continue training for your goal race while simultaneously addressing pelvic floor dysfunction. But it requires a strategic approach, not just pushing through symptoms.

Many runners view strength training as optional at best, or a waste of time at worst. At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, we work with injured runners every single week who say some version of: "I was running fine until I increased my mileage. I never thought I needed to strength train."

At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, we see this constantly during spring marathon training season as runners increase mileage. But here's what most runners struggle with: plantar fasciitis and heel bruises can feel similar initially, yet they require completely different treatment approaches.

Many female runners experience pelvic pressure or heaviness during long runs, especially as mileage increases during spring marathon training. But most don't talk about it, unsure whether it's normal or a sign of something more serious.

At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, we evaluate runners with knee pain every single week during spring marathon training season. And the pattern is remarkably consistent: weak or poorly functioning hips create abnormal knee mechanics, which leads to pain. Treating the knee alone rarely works because you're not addressing the cause.

At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, we see this confusion constantly, especially during spring marathon training when runners are increasing mileage. Getting the diagnosis right matters because treating tight calves and treating Achilles tendonitis require completely different strategies.

At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, we have physical therapists who specialize in pelvic floor physical therapy for active adults, including runners. Every spring, as women ramp up training for races like the Country Music Marathon, we see athletes who've been silently dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction for months or years, thinking there's nothing that can be done about it.

If this describes you, you're likely dealing with IT band syndrome, one of the most common and frustrating running injuries. At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, we see a surge of IT band issues every spring as runners ramp up mileage for races like the Country Music Marathon.

Shin pain is one of the most common complaints we see at Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance every spring, especially as runners ramp up mileage for races like the Country Music Marathon. But here's what most runners don't realize: not all shin pain is the same, and knowing the difference can save you weeks or months of unnecessary setbacks.

At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, we specialize in pelvic floor physical therapy for active adults, including runners. Every spring, we see athletes who've been silently dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction for months or years, thinking there's nothing that can be done about it. That's simply not true.

If this sounds familiar, you're probably dealing with IT band syndrome, one of the most common and frustrating running injuries. At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance, we see IT band issues constantly during spring running season, and we hear the same thing from nearly every runner: "I've been foam rolling and stretching my IT band for weeks, but it's not getting better."

But every spring, we see the same pattern at Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance: enthusiastic runners who ramp up mileage too quickly and end up sidelined with preventable injuries within weeks. Runner's knee. IT band syndrome. Achilles tendinopathy. Plantar fasciitis.

Here's the pattern we see every March at Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance: motivated athletes who increase their training volume too quickly and end up sidelined with an overuse injury within weeks. Achilles tendonitis. Runner's knee. Shoulder pain. Lower back flare-ups. The injury might be different, but the cause is almost always the same: too much, too soon.

If you’ve ever spent 10 minutes stretching before a workout—only to still feel stiff, achy, or off once you start moving—you’re not alone. Warm-ups are one of the most misunderstood parts of fitness. Most people do warm up, but they’re warming up in a way that doesn’t actually prepare their body for what’s coming next. The result? Persistent tightness, nagging pain, or injuries that seem to come out of nowhere. At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance , we see this daily:

When you hear “physical therapy,” what comes to mind? Probably recovering from knee surgery, rehabbing a sprained ankle, or dealing with low back pain. Those are all important parts of PT, but they’re just the beginning. Physical therapy covers a much wider range of needs—some that might surprise you. At Nashville Physical Therapy & Performance , we work with active people every day on things they didn’t even realize PT could help with. Surprising Ways Physical Therapy Can H

(Not Your Doctor, Not Google, Definitely Not TikTok) When pain shows up—whether it’s your knee, back, shoulder, or foot—most people follow the same script: Google the symptoms. Try a few stretches from social media. Wait it out. Eventually call a doctor when it doesn’t go away. By the time they reach physical therapy, the problem has often been lingering for weeks or months. In 2026, there’s a better way: start with physical therapy first . The Traditional Referral Maze (And