Do you worry about bladder leaks when running? Or at the gym, your exercise class, or playing with your children ??
Mums I meet in clinic tell me that they are avoiding events that require them to look “sporty”. They worry about a VPL if they wear normal figure hugging gym kit. They don’t want to stand out in a baggy tracksuit trying to hide a pair of substantive knickers with a pad. Heaven forbid a party or wedding?
I’m an experienced women’s physio so I know pads aren’t (and don’t need to be) the solution but they could be a vital part of your journey out of the Miserable Place.
Tips to manage bladder leaks when running or being active:
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#1. Use the right pad for bladder leaks
Sanitary pads and incontinence pads are not made of the same thing.
The products designed to be used for menstruation are great for that purpose but do not to cope well with liquid. As they are predominantly cottonwool based, if they get wet, they just go soggy and mis-shapen. If you are moving about they can get scrunched up, rub and leave your skin in contact with urine causing chafing and soreness.
The right pads for the task are worth the little bit of extra cost. With the advent of new technology you will be amazed how slim a proper bladder leakage pad can be to hold a large amount of liquid. They also use fabrics that can wick fluid away from the surface. This keeps damp away from your skin and reduces your worries about odour.
Some of the main UK brands are Tena, Always, Poise and Boots Staydry range. All will send you free samples from their websites.
Smaller brands Natracare and Cottons aim to use environmentally friendly materials and avoid the use of parabens and bleaching processes.
The pads for bladder leaks are usually in the same ‘feminine hygiene’ aisle (or website section of an online store) but separated into one column of shelves for products for periods and one for bladder leakage.
Tip to spot what you need: In general, pads for ‘lighter’ bladder leakage look and feel like pantyliners and come in boxes to keep them flat and compact. This makes a good starting point if you are looking for something to keep you confident and safe against a small leak.
#2. Disposable pants have their place
No one really believes that these look like “normal” knickers. However, their big advantage is the all-around cover, front, back and sideways. For an activity involving lots of changes of direction and position (aerobics, yoga, kids tumbling) they will give the most protection against bigger leaks.
Put your biggest PE pants over the top to hide them at your waist line.
However, if you are getting this wet when you play sport your priority should be to solve the bladder problem further. Talk to your physio about what they recommend for you.
#3. Knickers with inbuilt protection
We are so lucky to be in the era of textile research and design and I am delighted to see this being applied to underwear.
Good for the environment. Great if you are usually fine but like to know you have back up for any bladder leaks when running. Possibly more discreet if you need a thicker pad than a liner.
Disadvantage – once they are wet you need to change the whole knicker. However, ideal for things like the gym – if you get bladder leaks when running on the treadmill or other higher impact classes. Strip off in the changing room and no worry to dispose of a pad. Read more detail about the current options in my Field Guide: pads and pants
Note: a couple of clients who have tried this option swear they will never wear pads again, certain that the pad itself was irritating their vulva and making their incontinence worse.
#4. A subtle cover-up with a skort
It started with school uniform but now we can all wear skorts! Perfect for just hiding a good pair of pants with a pad and getting on with whatever you wanted to do.
£20-£80. Offered by sports brands Decathalon, Salomon, Reebok and now fashion versions too:
#5. Add extra support to the outside
Maybe not so much worried about leaks? More that your entire lower half moves about too much? Or that exercise is straining and fatiguing your pelvic floor and core muscles. If you have bladder leaks when running then have a look at EVB Sports Shorts*. Detail in this blog post Are EVB Sports Shorts an Active Mums Best Friend?
#6. Add extra support to your bladder from the inside
The options have recently expanded for devices that aim to give support to your bladder from inside the vagina. Often called pessaries. The devices/brands you may see advertised include Contrelle,Efemia, Contiform (all available on prescription) and Uresta. The devices increase in price, partly reflecting the number of times that they can be used – from single day use only, to monthly, to reuseable for a year.
These work particularly well where you or your physiotherapist feel that the bladder has dropped only a little bit (prolapse of the anterior wall/cystocele). Yet everything else inside (particularly the uterus) is still well supported. You both feel you have created a good layer of muscles through exercise but could do with a bit more support when you are trying to be more active.
More detail about their similarities and differences in the blog post Bladder Support Pessaires for Stress Urinary Incontinence: how do they work?
Before you go…..a promise?
……that you will not use these ideas to make you complacent about a leakage problem. Nor as an excuse to avoid the issue of your bladder for another 3 months!
- Incontinence might be “common” (45% of women report bladder leakage at 3 months after birth, even 10% of those after Caesarean) …. but it is never “normal”.
- Incontinence is also a sign of lack of pelvic floor support. You may need to consider how pelvic floor friendly your sport is (ummm….trampolining….)?? Or you may need to modify activities to protect yourself from risk of pelvic organ prolapse.
DO use these stop-gap options to get comfy, happier and more active NOW. But please, please commit to doing something about your pelvic floor muscles. Book an appointment with you GP to get a referral to a Specialist Physiotherapist for full assessment, support and advice. You can be much better than you are right now.
What are your tried & tested tips to prevent leaks when running??
Please share your experiences with other readers – for encouragment, inspiration and short cuts! Find us on social @propelvic
