- Stress urinary incontinence isn't uncommon during intense exercise or physical exertion.
- Movement or activity puts pressure on the bladder, which can cause urine to leak.
- Certain exercises can help prevent wetting yourself while running.
Crossing the finish line with a new personal best in a 10K or half marathon is a great feeling. A not so great feeling, though, is a wet, warm sensation that sometimes comes with running hard.
Stress incontinence, as it’s known, isn’t uncommon during intense exercise or physical exertion, especially running.
“Talking about incontinence seems more taboo than other running problems. We talk about it less than our chafing issues and gastrointestinal nightmares, but it’s just as common. Amanda Olson, DPT, PRPC, a pelvic health physical therapist, says that in a room full of runners, anywhere from two to eight out of 10 people — both women and men — have experienced some sort of urinary incontinence," per Outside magazine.
Dr. Justin Houman, a board-certified urologist, told Outside that urinary leakage has nothing to do with personal failure or hygiene. “It’s a muscle and nerve issue, not a willpower issue,” he said.
What is stress incontinence?
Urinary incontinence or loss of bladder control happens when movement or activity puts pressure on the bladder, causing urine to leak. Movements include coughing, laughing, sneezing, running or heavy lifting. It is not related to mental stress. Though it happens to men, it’s more common among women, according to the Mayo Clinic.
When you run or exert yourself, pressure in your abdomen increases dramatically, Houman said.
The increased pressure places strain on the bladder and the pelvic floor muscles that support it. The faster you run, the more those pelvic floor muscles work, according to a 2017 study in Neurourology and Urodynamics.
“If those muscles or the urinary sphincter aren’t strong or responsive enough to counter that pressure, small amounts of urine can leak out,” Houman told Outside.
Talk of pelvic floor strength or dysfunction immediately leads to women, and particularly women who have given birth, but Olson told Outside that stress urinary incontinence can happen to people who’ve never been pregnant, of any age, from high schoolers to masters runners, men included.
“Men can also experience leakage, especially if they’ve undergone prostate surgery or have pelvic floor dysfunction,” Houman said.
While perhaps embarrassing, Rebecca Maidanksy, a pelvic floor physical therapist, said people shouldn’t shy away from talking about stress incontinence.
“The shame and secrecy people feel around pelvic floor dysfunction leads them to suffer in silence far longer than necessary,” she told Outside. “Bladder, bowel, and sexual health are integral to living a healthy and happy life. There shouldn’t be any shame around discussing these mandatory bodily functions.”
Here’s what you can do
Experts suggest a well-rounded strength training program that focuses on muscles that adduct and extend your hips to help prevent urinary incontinence.
Those exercises include bridges, planks, clamshells, split squats and Romanian deadlifts a few days a week. Kegel exercises can also strengthen muscles and reduce symptoms.
Warming up before a run — even for a few minutes — activates core and lower body muscles.
Running on a full bladder is asking for trouble. “Stay ahead of hydration, but avoid overhydrating right before a run, and empty your bladder before exercising, especially if running long distances or at high intensity,” Houman said.
Experts also suggest seeking the help of a medical professional if you regularly experience stress urinary incontinence from running.