Are you suffering from Stress Urinary Incontinence?

Do you cross your legs before you laugh? Maybe you are suffering from Stress Urinary Incontinence

Do you find that you’re experiencing some leakage when you cough, sneeze or run, then it sounds like you are experiencing a condition called stress urinary incontinence?

If you experience stress incontinence then you will probably find that when you cough or sneeze, you get a sudden, involuntary loss of urine. This may lead to some embarrassing situations, particularly if you leak through to your outerwear.

You may find that you are no longer comfortable participating in high impact activities such as running or team sports.

You might also find yourself reflexively crossing your legs together whenever you find something funny!

Our Women’s Health Physio, Brigitte has explained below how best to manage your stress incontinence:

1. First and foremost, you need to begin pelvic floor muscle training. Most cases of SUI are due to a weak pelvic floor. Pelvic floor muscle exercises have been scientifically proven to be beneficial in minimising the severity of stress incontinence.
2. Secondly, get on top of your bowel health. Bowel health has a huge impact on bladder symptoms. Your bowel health is influenced by what you eat, so ensure you are eating a balanced diet with lots of fibre. Fibre can be found in fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and wholegrains. Adequate fluid intake is also essential!
3. Lastly, consider your weight as a factor influencing your incontinence. Maintaining or achieving a healthy BMI is paramount in managing urinary incontinence. If you are unsure of where to start, speak to your GP or a registered dietician, physiotherapist or exercise physiologist for guidance.

For further guidance on how to manage your stress incontinence and correctly engage your pelvic floor, make an appointment with one of our Women’s health physios now.

At our clinic, stress incontinence is the most common bladder presentation we see. We see time and time again how effective pelvic floor muscle training, in conjunction with lifestyle modifications, is for managing stress urinary incontinence. Research studies show that women who complete a pelvic floor muscle training program are 8 times more likely to report an improvement of their symptoms compared to those who did not engage in a pelvic floor program.

If you would like more information on this topic, please make an appointment with one of our Women’s health physios now online here or call us 99683424.

We want you to live your best life.