Stress urinary incontinence exercises

Stress urinary incontinence is leaking urine when there is a sudden rise in pressure inside the abdomen - coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting, jumping or running. The word stress here means physical pressure, not emotional stress. The pelvic floor is a sling of muscle running from the pubic bone to the tailbone that supports the bladder and helps close the urethra, and leaking happens when it cannot counteract that pressure quickly and strongly enough.

It is very common, particularly after pregnancy and childbirth, around and after menopause when tissue changes reduce support, and in people who cough persistently or do a lot of heavy lifting or high-impact sport. Being common does not make it something you have to put up with, and it is not a normal part of getting older or of having had children.

Day to day it shows up as a small leak with a cough or a sneeze, damp underwear after a run or a class, a spare change of clothes in a bag, and a habit of knowing where every toilet is. Many people quietly stop exercising, or avoid trampolines, classes and helpless laughing, which is a large and unnecessary cost.

Pelvic floor muscle training is the recommended first treatment and works well for most people, often removing the need for anything further. The key is doing the contraction correctly, progressing it, and keeping it up; most people notice change within about three months of daily practice. This programme teaches the correct contraction and breathing, builds strength and endurance, trains the fast squeeze that counters a cough, then integrates it into movement and impact.

Who this programme is for

Adults, most often women, who leak urine with coughing, sneezing, lifting or exercise. If you leak with a sudden desperate urge, have pain, notice a vaginal bulge, or have blood in your urine, see a clinician for assessment first as the management differs.