Last updated: January 2026 | Reading time: 10 minutes
If you've ever leaked a little when jumping, sneezing, or laughing, you know pelvic floor health matters. And if you're considering rebounding, you've probably wondered: will bouncing make things better or worse?
It's a question that doesn't get discussed enough. Rebounding is promoted as gentle, low-impact exercise — but for women with pelvic floor concerns, is it actually safe? Let's look at what we know.
Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
First, some context. Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles stretching like a hammock across the base of your pelvis. These muscles support your bladder, uterus, and bowel, and they play a crucial role in continence, core stability, and sexual function.
Pelvic floor dysfunction is remarkably common:
- 1 in 3 women experience some form of pelvic floor dysfunction in their lifetime
- Stress urinary incontinence (leaking during physical activity) affects up to 50% of women at some point
- Risk increases with pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and high-impact exercise history
- Many women don't seek help due to embarrassment, assuming it's "just part of ageing"
The concern with rebounding is straightforward: jumping creates downward pressure on the pelvic floor. If those muscles are already weakened, could bouncing make things worse?
The Good News First
Here's what might surprise you: rebounding, done correctly, may actually help strengthen the pelvic floor rather than damage it.
The key word is "correctly."
Why Rebounding Can Help
1. Reflexive muscle engagement
When you bounce, your pelvic floor muscles engage reflexively to manage the changing pressure. This automatic contraction-relaxation cycle can train these muscles without you consciously "doing Kegels."
Think of it as involuntary pelvic floor exercise — your body naturally engages these muscles dozens of times per minute while bouncing.
2. Core integration
The pelvic floor works as part of a system including your deep abdominals, back muscles, and diaphragm. Rebounding trains this entire system together, which is how these muscles function in real life.
Isolated Kegel exercises miss this integration. Rebounding doesn't.
3. Lower impact than alternatives
Compared to running, aerobics, or jumping rope, rebounding creates significantly less jarring force. The mat absorbs impact, reducing the peak pressure your pelvic floor must handle.
4. Gradual progression is possible
Unlike running (where you either run or you don't), rebounding allows infinite gradation. You can start with bouncing so gentle your feet barely leave the mat, then progress as your pelvic floor strengthens.
The Honest Caution
Now the important caveat: rebounding isn't suitable for everyone with pelvic floor concerns, especially not immediately.
When to Be Careful
If you have:
- Active stress urinary incontinence (leaking during exercise)
- Pelvic organ prolapse (bladder, uterus, or bowel bulging into the vaginal wall)
- Recent childbirth (within 6 months)
- Pelvic floor surgery recovery
- Severe pelvic floor weakness diagnosed by a specialist
You should:
- Consult a pelvic health physiotherapist before starting
- Get your pelvic floor strength assessed
- Potentially do preparatory strengthening work first
- Start rebounding only with professional guidance
This isn't about being overly cautious — it's about doing things in the right order. Jumping on a weakened pelvic floor before it's ready can worsen symptoms.
What the Experts Say
Pelvic health physiotherapists increasingly view rebounding positively — but with appropriate caveats.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy notes that low-impact trampolining can be suitable for women with mild pelvic floor weakness, provided they start gently and progress gradually.
Pelvic health specialists often use small trampolines in rehabilitation programmes, precisely because they allow controlled, graduated impact loading.
The key principle: The pelvic floor, like any muscle group, strengthens when progressively loaded. The challenge is finding the right starting point and progression rate.
A Practical Approach: The Traffic Light System
Here's a framework many pelvic health physios use:
Green Light: Safe to Start Rebounding
- No current leaking during daily activities
- No known prolapse
- Able to contract and relax pelvic floor muscles voluntarily
- More than 6 months postpartum (if applicable)
- No current pelvic floor symptoms
Start with: Gentle bouncing, 5 minutes daily, gradually increasing
Amber Light: Proceed with Guidance
- Occasional leaking during high-impact activity only
- Mild pelvic floor weakness
- 3-6 months postpartum
- History of pelvic floor issues but currently symptom-free
Action: See a pelvic health physio for assessment. They may recommend preparatory exercises before rebounding, or supervise your initial sessions.
Red Light: Don't Start Yet
- Current stress incontinence during low-impact activities
- Diagnosed prolapse (any stage)
- Less than 3 months postpartum
- Recent pelvic surgery
- Unable to voluntarily contract pelvic floor muscles
- Leaking has worsened recently
Action: Address underlying issues first. Work with a pelvic health physio. Rebounding may become appropriate later, but not now.
How to Rebound Safely for Pelvic Floor Health
If you're in the green light category (or have been cleared by a professional), here's how to approach rebounding:
Start Lower Than You Think Necessary
Begin with the "health bounce" — barely lifting your feet from the mat. This creates minimal pelvic floor demand while still providing benefit.
Don't progress to higher bouncing until you've done 2-3 weeks at the lowest level with zero symptoms.
Exhale on Effort
Breathing matters. Exhale gently as you push down into each bounce. This naturally engages your core and supports your pelvic floor.
Avoid holding your breath — this increases intra-abdominal pressure and can worsen pelvic floor strain.
Engage Before Impact
Gently engage your pelvic floor before you start bouncing and maintain a low-level contraction throughout. This isn't a hard squeeze — think 30% effort. Your muscles should still be able to respond reflexively.
Keep Sessions Short Initially
Better to do 5 minutes daily than 30 minutes once a week. Shorter sessions allow your pelvic floor to recover and adapt.
Monitor Symptoms
If you notice:
- Any leaking during or after bouncing
- Pelvic heaviness or dragging sensation
- Increased urinary urgency
- Discomfort in your pelvic region
Stop and reassess. You may need to reduce intensity, see a specialist, or take a break.
Progress Gradually
A sensible 6-week progression:
Weeks 1-2: Gentle health bounce, 5 minutes, daily Weeks 3-4: Slightly higher bounce, 7-8 minutes, daily Weeks 5-6: Moderate bouncing, 10 minutes, daily
Only progress if symptom-free at each stage.
Choosing a Rebounder for Pelvic Floor Concerns
Equipment quality matters here. What you want:
Bungee suspension, not springs Elastic bungees provide a smoother deceleration at the bottom of each bounce. This reduces the peak pressure your pelvic floor must handle. Spring rebounders can create a "jarring" sensation that's harder on the pelvic floor.
Good quality mat A consistent, responsive surface allows predictable bouncing. Cheap rebounders with uneven bounce make it harder to control intensity.
Stability A wobbly rebounder forces your core to work harder on lateral stability rather than vertical control. This can increase intra-abdominal pressure unnecessarily.
Adequate size A larger mat (110cm+) gives you room to adjust your bouncing position and feels more secure.
The BERG Fitness Trampoline 110 meets these criteria: 36 elastic bands for smooth bouncing, solid construction, and a 110cm diameter. It's designed for the kind of controlled, graduated bouncing that supports pelvic floor health.
The Bigger Picture: Pelvic Floor and Fitness
Here's something important: avoiding all exercise because of pelvic floor concerns can make things worse, not better.
General deconditioning weakens the entire core system, including the pelvic floor. Many women stop exercising after experiencing leaking, which ultimately compounds the problem.
The goal isn't to avoid impact — it's to find the appropriate level of impact for your current pelvic floor capacity, then gradually increase it.
Rebounding, done right, offers a path to do exactly that.
When to See a Specialist
If any of these apply, please consult a pelvic health physiotherapist before starting rebounding:
- You leak during any physical activity
- You have feelings of heaviness or bulging in your vagina
- You've been told you have prolapse
- You're less than 6 months postpartum
- You've had pelvic surgery
- Pelvic floor exercises (Kegels) haven't helped
- You're unsure how to contract your pelvic floor muscles
A pelvic health physio can assess your current function, identify any issues, and create a tailored plan that may include rebounding at the appropriate time.
In the UK, you can find chartered pelvic health physiotherapists through the Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP) network or by asking your GP for a referral.
The Bottom Line
Can rebounding help your pelvic floor? Potentially, yes — it provides reflexive muscle training, core integration, and graduated loading that can strengthen these important muscles.
Can rebounding harm your pelvic floor? Also potentially yes — if you start too intensely with pre-existing weakness, you may worsen symptoms.
The difference is in the approach:
- Assess your current pelvic floor health honestly
- Start gentler than you think necessary
- Progress slowly over weeks, not days
- Monitor for any symptoms
- Seek help if you're unsure or experiencing problems
For many women, rebounding becomes a valuable part of their pelvic floor health strategy. But it requires respect for where your body is now, not where you wish it was.
Done right, those few minutes of bouncing each day might be exactly what your pelvic floor needs.
Important: This article is for general information. If you have pelvic floor symptoms, please consult a pelvic health physiotherapist for personalised assessment and advice.
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