The most common issues? Stress urinary incontinence (you know, when a little slips out when you weren’t planning on it), urinary urgency (the awful need to go NOW), bowel incontinence (no explanation needed on that one), and, in 5% of the cases, pelvic organ prolapse (which means the pelvic floor is so weak that pelvic organs bulge outside the vagina).  As you may remember from your grade school sex talk, the pelvic floor is all the “stuff” (think muscles, ligaments and connective tissue) that supports your organs, including your bowel, bladder, and uterus. When you have a disorder in this area, it essentially means there’s either a weakness in the muscles or a tear in the connective tissue that’s making it difficult to control your bladder and bowel.  MORE: The Bacteria That Could Be Making You Have To Pee All The Time “Repetitive endurance activity may strain and fatigue pelvic floor muscles, worsening or leading to pelvic floor symptoms,” says Johnny Yi, MD, lead study investigator who conducted this research while at Loyola University. Hormonal issues associated with menopause may also be a factor. (For menopause relief, check out ourultimate owner’s guide to menopause.) So how much training is too much? On average, women in this study ran 3.7 days a week, biked 2.9 days a week and swam 2.4 days a week. This isn’t to say, though, that triathlon training is the only cause of these symptoms. In fact, although this study involved only triathletes, women who are doing other endurance or high-impact sports are also at risk for pelvic floor disorders. Having a child also increases your risk (study participants who’d had children had higher incidents of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse).  While these symptoms can be extremely bothersome, they’re not life-threatening and shouldn’t discourage you from training for triathlons or other events, says Yi.  If you’re suffering from any of these symptoms, know that you have good options for treatment and you should schedule an appointment with a gynecologist, urogynecologist, or female urologist. There are surgeries to correct these problems, but non-invasive treatments like pelvic floor physical therapy are also extremely beneficial and should be started as early as possible, even before you sign up for your next triathlon or fitness event, says Yi.  MORE: How To Do Kegels The Right Way