Too Wet to Walk: Are You Leaking?

It’s become commonplace to hear women state that it’s normal to start leaking urine after they’ve had a baby. Coughing? Leak. Laughing? Leak. Running? Extra Leak. Does one just accept this as a norm, and succumb to wearing pads or even diapers for the rest of one’s life.

Should You Just Accept Leakage as Part of Life?

It doesn’t have to be that way. Yes, it is quite common to experience some level of leaking after giving birth, either vaginally and from a c-section. This can also occur even without having given birth. The ability to retain your urine (continence) comes from an intricate system that maintains pressure within your abdomen, diaphragm, and pelvic floor when you are breathing. With pregnancy, the pressure system changes. The key players, your abdomen, diaphragm and pelvic floor, have to stretch to make room for a pregnancy. Even outside of pregnancy, if you have poor posture, or the structures mentioned above are weak, your pressure system can get off balance. Once the pressure is not being maintained properly, excessive pressure can go into one part of your body. When you’re leaking with activity, it usually means that it’s being placed on your pelvic floor. 

How do the Pelvic Floor Muscles Play a Role?

Another key player in maintaining your continence, are the pelvic floor muscles shortening and lengthening around your bladder opening, consistently adapting throughout your daily movements. During pregnancy, your pelvic floor muscles will have an increased demand as the pressure on your bladder grows, and you use the bathroom more frequently. Your posture, your way of breathing can also affect if your muscles are too long, too short, or too tight, possibly leading to leaking with activity as well. 

So what does one do, if this is occurring? 

Visit with a pelvic floor therapist. As discussed, if you are leaking with activity there could be several factors that are contributing to it, and it is best to get evaluated. A pelvic floor therapist can let you know: 

1. If you need to work on your breathing. This works to adjust how you’re maintaining your abdominal pressure. 
2. If you’re leaking while running, a running analysis can be performed. For example: if your running and your not letting your arm swings, which allows your trunk to move and allow you to breathe properly, this can throw of your pressure system
3. If you just had a baby, and your abdomen muscles need to be strengthened.
4. If your pelvic floor muscles are too long, too short or weak, and what you can do for each. 

Body Harmony Physical Therapy offers one on one physical therapy, both for pelvic floor and orthopedic concerns. Our treatments are for up to one hour in a private treatment room. We offer a quick call back option for potential patients who have questions or concerns related to physical therapy.

References

1. Brown WJ, Miller YD. Too wet to exercise? Leaking urine as a barrier to physical activity in women. J Sci Med Sport. 2001 Dec;4(4):373-8. doi: 10.1016/s1440-2440(01)80046-3. PMID: 11905931.
2. Chisholm, L., Delpe, S., Priest, T., & Reynolds, W. S. (2019). Physical Activity and Stress Incontinence in Women. Current bladder dysfunction reports, 14(3), 174–179. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11884-019-00519-6