Potty Problems
It’s not so much the question as the reality some of us find ourselves dealing with. Urinary incontinence (leaking pee) is a common issue that women in all stages of life encounter, and is certainly more noticeable/pronounced after giving birth. And if it’s common, then let’s talk about it! This is not an issue to be embarrassed about, and there are lots of resources to help.
First of all, if you have recently given birth and notice frequent urinary incontinence we always recommend that you look up a pelvic floor physical therapist in your area. These are professionals that specialize in the health of your pelvic floor and they can provide you with a baseline assessment of what’s going on as well as an action plan for how to improve your symptoms.
What else can you do? Leaking during an exercise does not necessarily mean that your pelvic floor is weak. Kegels might or might not be the answer to your symptoms. According to Julie Leonard, MS PPCES, “Here are some other reasons that you might notice leaking during certain exercises:
1. Posture- Your posture can affect the way your deep core system functions aka how your pelvic floor responds to load.
2. Breath Strategy- Certain breath strategies might make your symptoms worse while others might alleviate symptoms.
3. Tension Generated- Creating too much tension thinking it will help you not leak might actually do the opposite.
4. Upregulation of pelvic floor muscles- Tightness in the pelvic floor can lead to incontinence and other pelvic floor issues.
5. Strength- A lack of pelvic floor muscle strength can be associated with leaking during certain activities.
6. Coordination of breath & deep core- Oftentimes in postpartum, moms lack coordination of their breath and deep core system which can lead to leakage.
7. Endurance- Does the leaking happen at the end of a workout? Or at the end of your run? Perhaps your pelvic floor & body are lacking some endurance.
We are here to help! Talk to your Joy Lab coach about any symptoms you might be experiencing, and let’s get a plan designed for you that covers the basics: posture improvement, diaphragmatic breathing, strength & endurance training!
