Urinary Leakage/Incontinence

Urinary Incontinence is the experience of urinary leakage or difficulty holding your bladder. Urinary incontinence is typically due to a dysfunction of the pelvic floor muscles such as weakness or tightness.

Stress Incontinence

• When leakage occurs due to physical movements such as laughing/sneezing/coughing or physical exercises.

Urge Incontinence

• Having a sudden strong, uncontrollable urge to urinate. Often, those with urge incontinence will also fail to reach the bathroom in time before urinating.

Mixed Incontinence

• Experiencing both stress and urge incontinence.

Functional Incontinence

• Leakage that isn’t caused by problems with the bladder or pelvic floor muscles, but by the inability to move or reach the bathroom in time.

Urinary Frequency

• The feeling of needing to urinate more than 8 times (every 2-4 hours) a day.

How Will Physical Therapy or Occupational Therapy Help?

A Therapist will help you restore control over your symptoms, avoid surgery, and eliminate the need for special padding garments or medicines.

During a Physical/Occupational Therapy session, you will:

• Strengthen the pelvic floor to increase muscular control and prevent urine leakage.
• Strengthen muscles of the pelvic girdle, core, and back to increase movement and support bladder function.
• Learn behavioral changes to prevent urinary leakage, such as updating your diet, stretching to decrease muscular tightness, and creating a healthy bathroom schedule.