Today I want to talk about bladder leakage…it’s a topic that feels a bit uncomfortable but we must talk about it because it’s really common!
If you find that laughing, sneezing or exercising causes you to leak urine, or you experience a sudden overwhelming need to use the toilet and aren’t sure if you’ll make it in time, you are not alone.
In fact, these issues affect around 1 in 3 Australian women… and it’s not only as we get older, half of these women are under 50 years of age*!
A weak pelvic floor definitely causes problems, but what most people don’t know is that if your pelvic floor is too tight, or simply not contracting in the right way at the right time, that’s just as much of a problem.
This can be confusing and is tricky to figure out on your own. We recommend a visit to a qualified Pelvic Health Physiotherapist prior to starting pelvic floor strengthening. With the Physio to tell you exactly what is happening in your particular situation, you can achieve a leak-free life more quickly and reduce the risk of making things worse.
Who would have thought it could be so simple?
Making sure you are drinking the right amount of water, avoiding constipation and cutting down on bladder irritants such as caffeine, can go a long way towards a happier bladder.
If you’ve ever noticed your symptoms are worse when you’re stressed, like around exam times, with work deadlines approaching, or at times of emotional upheaval, there’s a reason for this.
Studies have shown that stressful situations create tension in the pelvic floor muscles, much more so than in gluteals and other muscles around the pelvis. It’s similar to how your neck tightens up when you’re stressed.
Stretches, breathing exercises and learning how to ‘downtrain’ your pelvic floor muscles helps them to let go and function properly again.
As you may be starting to see, your body, including your pelvic floor, operates as a whole.
Your pelvic floor can be affected by injuries, tightness, weakness or poor posture in other parts of your body, making it hard for the pelvic floor muscles to contract properly, or making them more tense than is healthy.
A full recovery from a leaky bladder and other pelvic issues sometimes includes getting the right advice and treatment for other parts of your body!
OK, I’m sure you know that, but it’s still worth mentioning. The time after childbirth is so busy that many women don’t think about themselves and the care they need.
The pelvic floor and organs are at the forefront of the enormous changes pregnancy and birthing involve, and it often takes a while to get back to normal functioning. While many temporary discomforts and problems resolve by themselves, others need a little help.
If you are struggling with bladder, bowel or pelvic pain issues after having a baby, a postpartum checkup with a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist be a great help…and the solutions can often be simpler than you might think.
Too many women believe that leaking and other pelvic issues are just a normal part of having babies, but this is simply not the case, and help is available.
While the changes of perimenopause and menopause are less visible than those of pregnancy, they are no less substantial. This is a time when many women who’ve had no previous issues with urinary leaking or urgency can suddenly develop problems.
It can be hard to figure out what is going on and what to do.
These changes have everything to do with your changing hormones and there are lots of ways to work with your body to keep you comfortable and your bladder and pelvis happy.
Don’t just assume you have to live with what’s going on as there are many effective solutions available for your symptoms.
You may laugh, but honestly, no-one talks about men’s’ pelvic floors. Many men are surprised to find out they even have one, they think of this as ‘Women’s business’.
In fact around 10% of Australian men experience urinary leakage*, and that’s just one of the issues men can have due to pelvic floor problems.
We’ll talk more about men’s specific issues another day, just know that most of the above facts apply equally to people of all genders.
So, now you know a bit more about the mysterious pelvic floor. I hope you can see that there are many ways to work with leaking and other pelvic floor problems. Unfortunately, these issues tend to get worse over time instead of better if left untreated. And sadly 70% of people living with urinary leakage never seek advice for the problem*. This is such a shame considering how much can be done to improve the situation.
I hope you’ve found this information helpful, please get in touch with one of our qualified Pelvic Health Physiotherapists, click this link, or your Primary Health Practitioner if you’d like more information.
*Statistics courtesy of The Continence Foundation of Australia
(Published Feb 12, 2025)
Written By: Martina Duel (Senior Physiotherapist)
