Expert consulted: 
Thanks to the current high-rise trend, you’ll be hard-pressed these days to find pants that sit comfortably below the belly button. Off the run, I don’t mind this (read: I’m unstylish and unbothered). On the run, however, is a different story.
To me, high-rise waistbands feel restrictive and uncomfortable even if they aren’t particularly snug. I’ve always preferred mid-rise or low-rise fits. Most recently, when I tried “super high-rise” tights—their waistband nearly reaches the ribcage—I felt like I couldn’t get a full deep breath. And on multiple occasions, I experienced bloating and stomach discomfort, which rarely occurs in my much lower and looser running bottoms.
Lots of runners adore high-rise tights, but I suspected there were others who, like me, felt this style worked against them. Given the new research on the negative physiological effects associated with wearing overly-restrictive sports bras, I wondered if tights could pose similar issues.
So when it comes to waistbands, what’s the best style for runners who want to prioritize their overall health, performance, and comfort? For the lowdown on high-rise, I chatted with Should You Run With a Sprained Toe, This Runner Has a Goal of 100 Endurance Races.
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To help me understand how a pair of tights can have such an impact on runners, Dr. Liles explained the physiology of the area of our bodies that waistbands can affect. This area is called the pelvic floor.
“Everyone has a pelvic floor,” Dr. Liles explained, “It encompasses the muscles down in your pelvis (the bones between the lower abdomen and upper thighs that connect the spine to the legs) and works in coordination with the abs, hips, inner thighs, glutes, and back. The pelvic floor also helps us urinate, pass stool, and have sex.”
The pelvic floor plays an especially important role for runners. It supports a lot of the important muscle groups we use while running, and it’s important to keep these muscles strong. That’s where high-waisted leggings can cause a problem.
“Those high-waisted leggings can act like a tourniquet, pushing pressure down to your pelvic floor and causing more tension than it can accommodate. This can also make it difficult to engage your lower ab muscles because you have that support coming from the pants,” Dr. Liles says.
She also explains that if we have weak core and hip muscles, the pelvic floor muscles will try to compensate for them. The results of all this in the long term can be a weak, tight, or overtaxed pelvic floor.
For this reason, Dr. Liles sees runners who experience a wide range of symptoms such as bladder leakage, feelings of heaviness, excessive achiness in the hips, and constipation. Men may experience trouble urinating and erectile dysfunction.
Other Health Considerations
When I asked Dr. Liles about my bloating and upset stomach, she said it’s less likely that pelvic floor dysfunction could explain upper GI troubles like acid reflux, burping, and digestive distress. However, tight clothing in general—whether it’s tight-fitting tops or bottoms—can present digestive issues for runners.
This Runner Has a Goal of 100 Endurance Races A Part of Hearst Digital Media. This Runner Has a Goal of 100 Endurance Races Health & Injuries. On the run, this can result in the dreaded side stitch. Off the run, this limits our ability to “belly breathe” for relaxation.
How We Fuel on Long Runs When We Cant Stomach Gel Other Health Considerations as your lungs fill with air, without you needing to raise your shoulders. If your clothes suppress this movement of the abdomen, it can be harder to breathe fully and freely.
Morgan is a gear editor who has been with
“I tell my patients to try to wear pants that are a little bit looser, rather than those tights that are really going to suck you in. You can still wear high-rise tights, but you want to be able to stick your hand inside the waistband and have some give, Dr. Liles says. “It’s the pressure of the waistband that’s most important.”
But she emphasizes that it’s not all or nothing. “If you really want that tight fit, just try not to wear those tights all the time. If a runner is experiencing pelvic floor issues, I might suggest wearing athletic shorts for a bit while we work on strengthening their core and engaging the lower abs without extra pressure from the pants,” she says. “Being mindful [of the tightness] is really the best thing.”
Shop Expert-Recommended Tights
Dr. Liles also says that while there’s no “magic amount” of compression that’s ideal for everyone, usually medium to light is a good choice.
Old Navy describes the tights and shorts in its PowerSoft collection as using “light compression” materials:
Old Navy High-Waisted PowerSoft Leggings
Old Navy High-Waisted PowerSoft Biker Shorts
Download Your Training Plan Runner’s World Download Your Training Plan The Warmup, Running We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article RW newsletter. Now, she tests and reviews anything you might find on runners’ feet-from crew socks and compression boots to carbon-plated super shoes.
A lifelong runner and shoe geek, Morgan has been chasing the perfect pair of kicks since she joined her grade school cross-country team. Since then, she ran as a Division I walk-on for the cross-country and track & field teams at the University of Delaware, where she studied English and Biology. She has one full marathon under her belt, and has raced more halfs and 5Ks than she can count.
Should You Run With a Sprained Toe attended South College where she received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. While she treats all people, she has a special interest in working with marginalized populations and providing care to the LGBTQ+ community and Pelvic Health community. Outside of work, you will find her reading, in the gym, watching anime, and spending time with loved ones.
