Originally published on May 8, 2023 by Vital Physiotherapy & Wellness, now part of the Bravella Health network. Original author: Vital Physiotherapy and Wellness.
Despite what you might have been told up until now…leaking does NOT have to be your new normal.
Here are a few of the major myths we see when it comes to incontinence and leaking.
MYTH #1: THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS TO ‘KEGEL’.
The pelvic floor muscles work as a system. Not only is it important how strong they are, but it’s also important how flexible they are, and how coordinated they are with the rest of the system, and whether or not they are turning on at the right time.[1]
MYTH #2: LEAKING ALWAYS HAPPENS POSTPARTUM.
That is not true. Your pelvic floor muscles can be trained. Yes, it’s very common for leaking to happen postpartum, but it’s not something you just have to live with.[2]
MYTH #3: LEAKING IS A NATURAL PART OF GETTING OLDER.
Did you know that the number 1 reason people are admitted to nursing homes is because they are incontinent? That does NOT have to be the case. Leaking does not have to be a natural part of aging.
You can train your pelvic floor muscles and you can be leak free for the rest of your life.[3]
Book a pelvic floor physiotherapy assessment now to take your first step toward living a leak-free life!
References
- Frawley H, Shelly B, Morin M, et al. An International Continence Society (ICS) report on the terminology for pelvic floor muscle assessment. Neurourol Urodyn. 2021;40(5):1217-1260. doi:10.1002/nau.24658
- Woodley SJ, Lawrenson P, Boyle R, et al. Pelvic floor muscle training for preventing and treating urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;5(5):CD007471. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007471.pub4
- Dumoulin C, Cacciari LP, Hay-Smith EJC. Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;10(10):CD005654. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005654.pub4
