Incontinence When Running

Exercise is good for you, and we all know the need for healthy lifestyles. However,

leaking when you exercise is not fun, and can be a huge barrier to engaging in sport

and exercise, and a healthy lifestyle.

Incontinence during sport is common, but not normal. The most common form of

incontinence, (which is any involuntary leakage of urine) is called stress

incontinence. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) occurs when there is an increase of

pressure on the bladder, usually from increases in abdominal pressure which is what

typically occurs when coughing, laughing, sneezing – but also when doing high

impact sport, including running. The muscles which support the bladder are the

pelvic floor muscles, and they need to be strong and functioning well, so when these

increases in pressure occur – they support the bladder and urethra and stop the

leaks!

Sometimes people only leak when they have been running for a while. This depends

on how far you usually run, how fast and what kind of surface you are running on

(cross-country or on the road). If you find that leaking only occurs after a certain

time, it may be more related to fatigue of the pelvic floor (along with other tissues),

which makes it harder for them to continue to support the bladder.

It is also common for runners to have a sudden urge to urinate which may be hard,

or impossible to control. This is different to stress incontinence, and usually caused

by irritants to the bladder, rather than pressure on the bladder.

We know that vaginal birth is already a risk factor for SUI, as is hormonal changes

that typically occur during menopause. So, if you are already struggling with

symptoms of SUI – without running – running is not going to help those symptoms. It

is important that you address the leaks before you start running.

Most likely causes of Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) when running

1. Weak pelvic floor muscles

2. Pelvic floor muscles that have little endurance, or are not firing properly (poor

co-ordination)

3. Excessive fluid intake – bladder fills too much which makes it more difficult to

retain urine

4. Too little fluid – which makes the urine too concentrated and may irritate the

bladder

5. Too much caffeine (coffee/fizzy drinks) or even some spicy foods may cause

bladder irritation.

How to manage incontinence when running

1. Pelvic floor exercises: Make sure the pelvic floor exercises are of sufficient

intensity to make a difference to Strength, but also incorporate co-ordination

and endurance training.

2. Avoid bladder irritants before a run

3. Make sure you are well hydrated, but not over hydrated

4. Take note of when the leakage occurs – i.e. at what point in the run, were you

on a different surface, or were you running faster/downhill or uphill.

5. You may need to consult with a pelvic floor physiotherapist if symptoms do not

improve after 12 weeks.

If you have other symptoms like pain in your bladder, blood in your urine, or urgency

with very little output of urine, it is worth checking with your health care provider.

Femfit® by JUNOFEM is a digital health technology that enables you to strengthen

and improve your pelvic floor muscle function, in the comfort of your own home.