People that struggle with incontinence often feel that it can impact their day-to-day, with a feeling that they are unable to enjoy being out and about in public because they are embarrassed because of leakage. You are not the only person that feels that way, nor will you be the last. 

Incontinence is when a person has urine leakage on accident and feels that they are not able to control their bladder. There are different types of incontinence, and it is important to understand the different types so that you are able to better identify the problem and the treatment plan needed to reduce or eliminate the leakage. 

It is a common issue with women and you can often identify the different causes, as it is usually related to aging, pregnancy, delivery, and menopause. 

There are various types of incontinence that can affect individuals.

Urge incontinence happens when there is a sudden urge to urinate accompanied by leakage; this type of incontinence is often caused by an infection, bladder stones or constipation.

Stress incontinence occurs with coughing, laughing or any type of exertion that increases pressure in the abdomen; this type is common among elderly women. 

Overflow incontinence happens when the bladder is too full for bladder muscles to empty it completely; this type can be caused by nerve damage, a tumor or blockage in the urinary tract.

Functional incontinence occurs when physical or mental impairments make it difficult for an individual to get to the toilet in time; this type is common among people with developmental disabilities or limited mobility due to age or chronic condition. 

It is important to identify the type of incontinence that is causing leakage because you will want to avoid certain workouts and treatments as they could cause more leakage issues or even make matters worse. 

Staying active is vital to your overall health, mentally and physically, so being able to do certain exercises without fear of leakage and reducing that chance will give you a piece of mind while exercising. Below are some of the exercises that you can do to help treat and avoid leakage. 

6 Exercises To Help Treat Incontinence

Incontinence, or the involuntary leakage of urine, is a condition that affects millions of people. Fortunately, there are several exercises you can do to help reduce symptoms and make managing incontinence easier. Here are six simple, yet effective exercises for treating your incontinence:

1. Pelvic Floor Exercises: Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles with Kegel exercises can be an extremely beneficial exercise for preventing bladder leaks. This exercise involves repeatedly tightening and releasing the muscles around the base of your pelvis as if trying to stop urine flow midstream. Doing these regularly over time can help increase muscle tone and control in the area – helping you manage incontinence.

2. Abdominal Contraction: This exercise requires you to draw your belly button toward your spine and hold it there for 10 seconds, then release. You can repeat this up to 10 times in a row as many times throughout the day as necessary. The abdominal contraction helps strengthen the muscles in your abdomen and pelvic floor, helping improve bladder control and reduce symptoms of incontinence.

3. Pelvic Tilts: Pelvic tilts involve lying on your back with your feet flat on the ground and gently pushing your pelvis up towards the ceiling. Once at the top of this arching motion, hold for three seconds before slowly lowering back down to rest. Doing this exercise repeatedly will help to stretch and strengthen your muscles and reduce any tension that could be contributing to incontinence.

4. Supine Squeezes: This exercise requires you to lie on your back with your legs bent at the knees and feet flat on the ground. Place one foot over the opposite knee and gently squeeze, pressing it against your stomach for a few seconds before releasing, then switching sides. Doing this regularly can help increase muscle strength in the area and reduce symptoms of incontinence.

5. Gluteal Contractions: Gluteal contractions involve lying on your back with your legs bent at the knees and feet flat on the ground. Lift one leg off the floor as if pushing down against an imaginary wall, while simultaneously contracting your glutes. Hold for 10 seconds before releasing, then switch sides and repeat. This exercise helps strengthen the muscles in your buttocks, helping to improve bladder control.

6. Squatting: The squatting exercise involves standing up straight with feet hip-width apart, then bending at the knees and hips as if sitting back into a chair or squat position. Make sure to keep your back straight and push through your heels as you go down into the squat and come back up. Doing this regularly can help build strength in the pelvic floor muscles and reduce symptoms of incontinence.

As you do start to identify what type of incontinence is causing the issues you are having, you will then be able to come up with an exercise routine that puts the least amount of pressure or strain on the problem area.

Exercises can be beneficial in treating and/or managing incontinence—however, not all exercises are created equal. It is important to understand which types of exercise can help strengthen muscles used for bladder control and which exercises may be too strenuous or challenging for individuals with certain conditions associated with incontinence. 

This is why we recommend that you come see us! 

If you are still struggling with incontinence and want answers, come visit us…

Physical therapy is a great way to help you strengthen your pelvic floor and help you in reducing or eliminate leakage. Incontinence can be difficult to live with and we want you to be happy and healthy, enjoying the things you love to do.

We want to help, so contact our Arvada location today to schedule a time to come see us.  Contact our team or schedule a Free Incontinence Screening so we can start to work together to find a treatment plan just for you.

All you need to do is tell us a bit about what’s going on through this quick form and we will have a conversation about how we may be able to help.

You can also give us a call at (720) 722-0685. 

See you soon,

Dr. Casey

Other Free Resources That Discuss The Importance Of Strengthening Your Core

Free Guide – 5 Secrets to End Embarrassing Leaking

Read our blog – How To Stop Peeing Every Time You Sneeze, Laugh, Or Jump!

Read our blog – Exercises That Can Help Strengthen Your Core

Check us out on social media – Empower PT + Pilates Facebook / Empower PT + Pilates Instagram