Urinary Incontinence

Understanding urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence, accidental urine leakage, affects people of all ages and genders. It is one of the most common reasons patients seek pelvic floor physiotherapy, and one of the most successfully treated.

Leakage is not simply a sign of a weak pelvic floor. It reflects a problem with the coordination and timing of the pelvic floor, bladder, and the muscles that keep urine in working together under pressure.

Types we treat

• Stress incontinence, leakage with coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting, or impact exercise. Occurs when the pelvic floor cannot provide enough support fast enough.
• Urge incontinence, a sudden, strong urge to use the bathroom that is hard to hold back, often followed by leakage before reaching the toilet.
• Mixed incontinence, a combination of both stress and urge patterns, each requiring its own treatment component.
• Nocturnal incontinence, leakage during sleep, often related to bladder overactivity or incomplete emptying.

Why it happens

Incontinence can result from weakness or poor timing of the pelvic floor muscles, bladder overactivity, hormonal changes, nerve function, connective tissue changes after childbirth, prostate surgery, or a combination of factors. Assessment identifies the primary driver, which determines the treatment.

What pelvic floor physiotherapy offers

• Pelvic floor muscle training (pelvic floor exercises), precisely prescribed for your pattern of dysfunction. Not a generic Kegel routine. Timing, graded control, endurance, and relaxation are all addressed.
• Bladder retraining, structured strategies to extend the time between bathroom visits and reduce urgency and frequency.
• Fluid and diet guidance, certain fluids and foods are known bladder irritants. Simple adjustments often make a significant difference.
• Pressure management, breathing, load strategies, and bracing techniques for high-pressure activities like lifting and impact exercise.
• Real-time muscle feedback, real-time feedback on muscle activity to help you learn correct contraction and relaxation patterns.