Is hovering over the toilet bad for you?

September 21, 2025 •

4 min read

While many people believe they are practicing good hygiene by avoiding a public toilet seat, hovering actually puts you at risk for several health issues, particularly related to your pelvic floor. Is hovering over the toilet bad for you? The short answer is yes, and the long answer is essential for your well-being.

Quick Summary

Hovering over the toilet can be detrimental to your pelvic floor muscles, urinary tract health, and bladder function, as it prevents proper relaxation and complete emptying. This common practice, often done out of hygiene concerns, can lead to issues like urinary tract infections and stress incontinence. Proper sitting techniques are the healthier alternative for all restroom users.

Key Points

Hovering Strains Pelvic Floor Muscles: The partial squat required for hovering causes the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles to tense, which prevents them from relaxing for proper urination.
Incomplete Bladder Emptying: Tense pelvic muscles lead to an interrupted urine stream and residual urine in the bladder, which can cause urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Increased Risk of Incontinence: Over time, chronic straining and pelvic muscle dysfunction from hovering can contribute to or worsen urinary incontinence.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Persistent and long-term hovering and straining can put significant pressure on the pelvic organs, potentially contributing to pelvic organ prolapse.
Myths About Germs: The fear of germs on a public toilet seat is largely unfounded, as skin is an effective barrier. Proper handwashing is a more crucial factor for hygiene.
Healthy Alternatives Exist: Healthier options include using toilet seat covers, wiping the seat with a sanitary wipe, or lining it with toilet paper to provide a barrier for peace of mind.

The Hidden Health Risks of Hovering

Many people, particularly women, resort to hovering over public toilets to avoid direct contact with the seat. While the intention is to stay clean, this common habit can inadvertently cause a number of health problems. The mechanics of a partial squat strain your body and disrupt its natural functions, leading to potential long-term complications. Understanding these risks can empower you to make a better choice for your overall health.

How Hovering Impacts Your Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the base of your pelvis that act like a hammock, supporting your pelvic organs, including the bladder, uterus, and rectum. When you hover, these muscles must tense and contract intensely to hold you in a partial squatting position. This unnatural tension prevents them from relaxing properly during urination. Over time, chronic hovering can lead to pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, which manifests as either weakness or over-activity.

Weakness: The constant strain and inhibited relaxation can weaken the pelvic floor, which is crucial for bladder control. This can lead to issues like stress incontinence.
Over-activity: The persistent clenching can cause the pelvic floor to become too tight, leading to a host of problems, including pain and urinary urgency.
Discordinated Function: The normal coordination between the bladder and pelvic floor is disrupted, requiring you to strain or push to urinate, which is damaging to the body.

Incomplete Bladder Emptying and UTIs

One of the most immediate and common consequences of hovering is incomplete bladder emptying. When your pelvic floor muscles are contracted, the urine stream is not as free-flowing, and your bladder cannot fully release its contents. The remaining or residual urine provides a breeding ground for bacteria, significantly increasing the risk of developing a urinary tract infection (UTI). Symptoms of a UTI can include pain, burning during urination, and a frequent urge to go.

Long-Term Consequences of Chronic Hovering

For those who have practiced this habit for years, the long-term effects can be more severe than a simple UTI. Chronic straining and pelvic floor dysfunction can contribute to more serious conditions.

Urinary Incontinence: The continuous weakening or straining of the pelvic muscles can lead to urinary incontinence, making it difficult to control the release of urine.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse: In more extreme cases, chronic straining can put excessive pressure on the pelvic organs. Over time, this can weaken the supportive tissues to the point where one or more of the pelvic organs—like the bladder or uterus—can drop down into the vagina, a condition known as pelvic organ prolapse.

Hygiene Concerns vs. Health Realities

The fundamental reason people hover is the fear of germs on public toilet seats. However, research has shown that the risk of contracting a disease from a toilet seat is extremely low. Your skin provides an excellent barrier against most bacteria and viruses. The real hygiene concern is not the toilet seat itself, but the surrounding environment and improper hand washing.


Aspect	Hygienic Risk (Hovering)	Hygienic Reality (Sitting)
Pelvic Floor	High risk of dysfunction from strain.	Healthy relaxation and function.
Bladder Emptying	High risk of incomplete emptying.	Low risk; allows for full emptying.
UTIs	Increased risk due to residual urine.	Decreased risk due to complete bladder voiding.
Contamination	Potential for more splashback onto clothes and surrounding surfaces due to poor aim.	Lower risk of splashback with proper positioning.
Germs on Seat	Avoids contact, but neglects the bigger issue of air particles and hand hygiene.	Skin is a natural barrier; risk is minimal.

Healthier Alternatives to Hovering

Protecting your health in public restrooms doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your hygiene. There are several simple, effective alternatives to hovering:

Use a toilet seat cover. These disposable paper covers offer a physical barrier between you and the seat. While they won't stop every germ, they significantly address the mental aspect of cleanliness that drives many to hover.
Clean the seat with a sanitary wipe. Many individuals carry antibacterial wipes for cleaning surfaces. Wiping the seat down before use is a quick and effective solution.
Create your own barrier. Use a few layers of toilet paper to line the seat. While porous, it can provide enough of a mental and physical barrier to feel comfortable sitting.

For those who are concerned about the wider public restroom environment, remember that washing your hands with soap and water is the single most important step for preventing the spread of germs. Furthermore, focusing on quick, mindful urination rather than rushing can help ensure proper bladder emptying. You can also try to find a more private or less-used restroom if available.

The Importance of Pelvic Health Awareness

For many, the habit of hovering has become so ingrained that they don't even consider the health implications. Education is key to changing this behavior. Pelvic health physical therapists and urologists are excellent resources for understanding the function of the pelvic floor and how everyday habits can affect it. For more information on pelvic floor health and rehabilitation, consider speaking with a healthcare provider or visiting a reliable source like the American Physical Therapy Association (https://www.choosept.com/health-topic/pelvic-health). Taking a proactive approach to your pelvic health is just as important as other areas of fitness and well-being.

Conclusion: Prioritize Your Health Over Misconceptions

The choice to hover over a toilet is usually made with the best of intentions—to avoid germs. However, this habit is based on a misconception about how germs are transmitted and poses a real threat to your pelvic floor and urinary health. By opting to sit down, whether on a covered or cleaned seat, you are allowing your body to function as it is designed to, protecting against long-term problems like incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction. Prioritize your body's mechanics over fear of germs for a healthier you in the long run.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hovering requires you to clench your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles to maintain the partial squat. This tension prevents these muscles from relaxing properly during urination, which can lead to dysfunction, weakness, and pain over time.

Yes, it can. When you hover, the pelvic muscles prevent the bladder from emptying completely. The residual urine that remains in the bladder can become a breeding ground for bacteria, increasing the risk of UTIs.

The risk of contracting diseases from a public toilet seat is very low. Your skin acts as an excellent protective barrier against germs. Worrying about the seat often overshadows the importance of proper handwashing, which is the most effective way to prevent the spread of germs.

Pelvic organ prolapse is a condition where pelvic organs, like the bladder or uterus, drop down due to weakened support structures. Chronic straining from improper urination, which can occur when hovering, increases pressure on these organs and can contribute to prolapse over the long term.

For optimal health and hygiene, it's best to sit fully on the toilet seat. You can use a disposable paper toilet seat cover or wipe the seat with a sanitary wipe for extra reassurance. Afterward, always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

Yes. Repeatedly hovering and the resulting pelvic floor dysfunction can weaken the muscles that control the bladder. This can contribute to urinary incontinence, especially stress incontinence, where urine leaks during physical activities.

No, a deep, relaxed squat is different. In a full squat, like those used in countries with different toilet styles, the pelvic floor can relax completely, allowing for easy and complete urination. It is the partial, tense squat of hovering that causes problems.