It’s time to break the silence surrounding the surprisingly common issue of urinary leakage. Have you ever gone for a run, lifted something heavy, jumped, coughed or sneezed and felt a leaking sensation? Do you discreetly wear a pad every time you work out? Do you sneak off to pee during your workouts, just to make sure your bladder is empty? Have you been told that this is normal or something that you “just have to deal with?”

You’re not alone. Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) is estimated to affect one in four women over the age of 18. SUI means urine leaks due to force or pressure on the bladder and urethra. Pressure can come from any activity–not just at the gym. It most often happens during exercise, sneezing, laughing or coughing. Pelvic floor muscles act as a support and sphincter; if these muscles aren’t functioning properly, they are unable to effectively hold in urine. Leakage can range from a few drops to enough urine to soak through your clothes.

While this article focuses primarily on the female experience, I want all of you men out there to know that this topic is not just for the ladies. Guys can experience urinary leaking and pelvic floor dysfunction too.

SUI or any other form of pelvic floor dysfunction–while common–is not something to ignore, even if it only happens once in a while. 30 percent of women who are continent now will become incontinent five to seven years later.

Common does not equal normal.

This is why I believe that we should speak openly about urinary leaking. The more awareness we can bring to this topic, the more women we can help by creating a proactive response instead of a reactive one.

As a pre/postnatal fitness specialist, one thing I love about my job is being able to EMPOWER women to put the power of their bodies back in their hands–by teaching them how to assess, understand and take action when they are experiencing symptoms. So often, we feel disconnected from our body when we begin to have symptoms like leaking, pain or prolapse, and may even feel like our body has failed us. While this failure couldn’t be further from the truth, it’s a common experience that many women share, especially during pregnancy and postpartum.

If 25% of women are experiencing urinary leakage, why aren’t we having more conversations in every gym, fitness centre, dance studio and athletic club? Why isn’t it a standard topic on intake forms or during personal training sessions? Some women are avoiding exercises completely or pushing through symptoms and potentially making them worse–simply because no one asked them about their symptoms. In turn, lack of exercise has been shown to influence a decrease in strength and resiliency, and an increase in obesity, depression and anxiety–all factors that can worsen urinary incontinence.

In my experience, I’ve noticed a few reasons why many people don’t speak openly about this topic:

  1. Feelings of shame or embarrassment: Many of us do not want to admit that we experience urinary leaking. We’ve been taught to keep “hush-hush” about our bodies and how they work. Speaking openly about fluids and our “private parts” can be challenging for many.
  2. The new normal: We may have been told, “this is just what happens after you have a baby!” There are many people who still believe there is nothing that can be done for symptoms if you’ve experienced pregnancy and/or delivery. This is poor advice that may have been a reality for earlier generations but is simply not true now.
  3. Little or no education: The average fitness professional or coach receives little or no education on pelvic health. Most are not equipped to handle clients’ common symptoms like incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse. We (the coaches) have to seek out resources and pay for ongoing education to learn about this important topic. Unless someone tells us about their concerns or we experience it first-hand (which was my experience), how do we know there is more to learn?

Now that we are talking openly about urinary leakage, what can we do to improve current symptoms and reduce the risk of leaking? Here are the tips I recommend to my clients:

  • Seek out an experienced pelvic floor physiotherapist. They are trained in everything related to the pelvic floor, will determine the cause of your symptoms and inform you of future risks. The answer is rarely as simple as needing more Kegels in your life! There are many factors and reasons why leaking may be happening. A pelvic floor PT should always be the first line of defence. Guys–this goes for you too! Pelvic floor dysfunction affects men and women in a variety of ways and it’s important to be proactive about your health.
  • Discuss your concerns with your coach or trainer and ask the following questions:
    • Do you have education or experience working with pelvic floor dysfunction?
    • What were the outcomes of those experiences?
    • Are you willing to learn more about how to support these concerns?
    • Do you have a network of pelvic health specialists you can refer to?

If they aren’t capable or willing to help, seek a coach/trainer who can give you what you need. A good coach can often help you make improvements in only a few sessions.

Now that you are on the path to understanding your symptoms and risks, the biggest piece to this journey is to KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING. We need to share our story with others, ask our friends if they have experienced urinary leakage, talk about what you’ve learned and help create a new normal in women’s (and men’s!) health. We all deserve a life that feels strong, resilient and confident–in and out of the gym.

By Christy Amason