Urinary Incontinence refers to the involuntary loss of urine. This can happen when we exert pressure through our abdomen, for example when we cough or sneeze our lift something heavy. Another example is leaking with running or skipping in the gym, when our pelvic floor muscles are fatigued. Approximately 1 in 3 women will experience leakage at some point in their life, and this risk increases with each vaginal birth. Another type of incontinence we commonly see is urge incontinence, where leakage occurs once our brain senses the signal to urinate and we cant make it to the toilet in time. Once a thorough assessment has been taken on your history, fluid intake and bladder habits, a physical assessment will be performed, and often a bladder diary will be completed to give us a clear picture of your bladder habits.

Physiotherapy for incontinence focuses on addressing the underlying cause, some of which can include:

• pelvic floor muscle weakness/poor muscle tone

• pelvic floor muscle overactivity

• poor coordination of muscle activity

• bowel issues such as constipation can result in increased urgency and leakage.

• menopausal changes to tissue health

• reducing bladder stimulants and monitoring fluid intakes to reduce overactive bladder muscle contractions.