Urinary Incontinence

Overview of urinary incontinence:

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine, which can occur with coughing, sneezing, laughing, physical activity, or even a strong urge to go. It may be occasional or chronic, and it affects women across all life stages. There are two main types of urinary incontinence, stress urinary incontinence and urge urinary incontinence. These two types of incontinence come from different causes and are treated differently, so it’s important that we get a good idea of what is going on before we determine a plan.

Common causes:

Urinary incontinence can come about from several different causes, including:

  • Weak pelvic floor muscles

  • Childbirth trauma

  • Aging

  • Hormonal changes

  • Pelvic surgery

  • High-impact exercise

  • Poor bladder habits

  • Neurological conditions

  • Chronic straining

Impact on life:

Incontinence can be incredibly distressing and isolating. Many women feel embarrassed or ashamed, and it often leads to avoiding exercise, long outings, or travel. Some reduce fluid intake or always plan their day around bathroom access, always checking where the closest bathroom will be when leaving the house. The emotional toll includes lowered self-esteem, decreased sexual confidence, and fear of being judged.

How pelvic floor therapy helps:

During pelvic floor therapy at Moms in Motion, we will help retrain and strengthen your pelvic muscles and surrounding muscles, improve coordination between your breathing muscles and pelvic floor, and teach you strategies to regain bladder control. We also address posture, breath, and behavioral patterns that impact the bladder. You might think certain habits and behaviors are harmless, but they are actually contributing to your incontinence. We want to help you uncover these habits and help you get back to feeling confident and no longer relying on pads.

Our treatment:

We begin with a thorough evaluation and create a plan based on your needs. We use internal and external assessments to tailor care, offering exercises, bladder retraining techniques, lifestyle modifications, and progressive movement to return to the activities you enjoy—leak-free and empowered. We use hands-on techniques such as visceral manipulation (releasing tension in your abdominal and pelvic organs by placing our hands on your belly) to help your bladder to move well within your abdomen and function more optimally. We will most likely have you fill out a bladder and bowel diary so we can determine if there are any obvious patterns or habits contributing to your leakage and then make a plan to improve it! Sometimes making small daily changes can have dramatic impacts on your urinary incontinence. Then we give just 2-3 home exercises each week to help you return to the activities you love with more confidence and less pain.

Ready to tackle your leakage? Request an appointment today!