As a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor disorders, I hear about urinary and bowel leakage a lot.  What still surprises me are the number of athletes, often runners and Cross Fitters, who have trouble with incontinence while exercising.  This is usually due to a dysfunctional pelvic floor, and at times core weakness.

Yes, even the strongest, toughest athletes may need a tune up in muscles supporting the bladder and bowel.  I often find these muscles are in knots, so tight they can’t effectively recruit strength.  They are stuck between a state of relaxation and contraction.  As a visual aide, this would be equivalent to holding a squat or bicep curl in mid position all day.  I also regularly find pelvic muscles are out of sync with the rest of the core, therefore ineffective controlling force in the trunk and pelvis.

The good news is, with a few therapy sessions we usually see marked improvement.  Manual therapy in the pelvis and hips, along with a simple home exercise program usually does the trick.  And as an added benefit, this usually helps improve overall performance.

Stop reaching for the pad before you work out!  Leaking isn’t normal and usually gets worse over time.

Not sure if therapy is for you?  Give us a call and set up a free consultation.

Emily Ladd, PT, OCS, CSCS, CMTPT