Are you considering buying a pair of EVB or SRC support shorts to help with bladder leaks or prolapse?
Professional reviews & guides to popular UK brands EVB and SRC. These are similar but subtly different medical grade support garments for women struggling with light incontinence or early stage prolapse. Designed by women & clinically shown to actively support the pelvic floor and pelvic organs.
I can recommend EITHER or even BOTH to you. I don’t see them as in competition with each other, so much as offering different positives & strengths.
We’ve had Irish brand EVBs in the UK for nearly 10 years, respected and recommended widely by physiotherapists. Unfortunately, they are no longer producing the product but you can still find some sizes/odd bits of stock available online – or you might need to ask around friends. Luckily, Australian brand SRC Health is now stocked by two UK suppliers and proving an equally popular life-changer.
This article collates my insights as a specialist physiotherapist feedback with feedback from my patient’s experiences. Hoping this information will help you decide what might suit you best.
Affiliate/discount codes: this post is not sponsored but I have received free samples for my clinic and I have regular contact with both brands & distributors to keep up to date with their product developments. An affiliate link is no extra cost to you but a small share to me, which helps to support this site.
EVB Support Full Range
No longer being manufactured. Some sizes/shapes still available to purchase Win-Health, e-Bay and similar sites.
SRC Health Restore Range
Discount for readers: SRC supplier Pioneer offer readers using my code AMANDASPHY5 a 5% discount & free delivery. Also available with my affiliate link from the friendly team at Kegel8. If you have had a problem for more than 3 months you don’t have to pay VAT.
Would support shorts help you?
- Are you losing your confidence to be sporty? To enjoy being active with your family or manage your on-your-feet job?
- Do you want to keep fit and maintian your health but bladder leaks are holding you back? Or vaginal discomfort and bulging are getting you down?
- Are you getting caught in a vicious circle where the less you exercise the worse your symptoms are getting?
- Are you AFRAID to exercise in case you make things worse?
…because pelvic floor exercises might not be enough.
Yes, it’s me ,a physio, saying that! We do know that pelvic floor exercises will help both bladder leaks and pelvic organ symptoms like dragging, bulging or pain. Don’t give up on the exercises. That’s your proven long-term plan out of the miserable place. However, there are also other ways to enhance your muscles and get more uplift and protection for your pelvic organs too. Relatively cheap and easy things we can do that can make a difference.
Support Garments: can add support to your pelvic organs from the outside. NOW.
Are they just for mums? Is it cheating to wear support shorts? Will my muscles get lazy?
I have written previously in detail about EVBs (see EVB Shorts: an active mum’s best friend?), sadly, temporarily unavailable. But support garments are not just for young mums. EVB had a wonderful testimonial from 73 year old Brenda who gave a fab account of how she was able to cancel her surgery & go on running thanks to her support shorts!
And absolutely they will NOT make you lazy. Don’t be hard on yourself. Let these stories reassure you.
Stories from clinic:
Tanya’s Story
Tanya can run leak-free with her EVBs on. Not without them…yet. But that has reassured us both that she only needs to go up one or two notches with her own abs & pelvic floor strength & endurance to achieve that same goal naturally.
She’s up to her ears with 3 under 5 at the moment so realistically we know this last bit of targeted pelvic floor is going to be slow(er). The EVBs are doing the job for now. The EVBs are not making her lazy. Quite the opposite, I believe, as thanks to them she can get out for an evening lite run for some much needed head -pace and cardio-fitness, whenever she gets an opportunity.
We have agreed that I keep up a regular email to ask after her progress every few months, so that she doesn’t become too content to let the shorts do the work longer term!
Jenny’s story
Jenny wears her SRC Restore Shorts on her “grandkids days”, twice a week. She says there is no going back!
Jessie & Arthur are 18 months & 3 years. She and her husband feel enriched by all the imaginative play, cuddles, trips to the park and shear energy they bring to their home. But she was reduced to tears by vaginal bulging and heaviness by the time they left.
She would wake up barely aware of her “mild” prolapse, by lunchtime feel a bit of dragging, by teatime rubbing and aching and by the time she was finally alone she could see and feel her vagina wall bulging at the opening. Yes, it would go back overnight but only to start the cycle off next visit.
We were worried that not only was this spoiling her enjoyment of being a granny but longer term a clue that the descent of the vaginal walls was worsening.
Now, she puts on her “prolapse-protection-armour” before they arrive! Jenny is also making better choices of activities (!) & modifying how much she picks up the little ones unnecessarily. She is being diligent with her pelvic floor exercises on the non-children days. She is still conscious that they have visited but delighted that the fatigue is more from general energy expenditure than vaginal discomfort.
Jenny likes that the SRCs both physically support her from below but also make her more conscious of her posture. The ritual of wearing them is also her brain-reminder that she needs to balance what is right for her with what is fun for the children.
EVB vs SRC support shorts: what’s the difference?
My personal summary of the similarities and differences to help you decide what might suit you.
Similar:
| Widely recommended by pelvic health physiotherapists |
| Compression garments specifically designed by women for women with (milder) incontinence or (early stage) pelvic organ prolapse problems and/or for postnatal recovery |
| Specialised medical grade compression material in the gusset, back and abdominal areas to encourage support/uplifting compression of the perineum, bladder and bladder tube |
| Research has led development and informs medical claims. |
| Variety of styles (shorts, leggings) |
| Not doing the job entirely for you (like shapewear or a brace would) so that your muscles do not become dependent/lazy – intended is to be part of your muscle rehab package. |
| Potentially, the proprioceptive (sensory stimulus) of the garments encourage natural pelvic floor activity. Feeling ‘safer’ reduces overactivity and gripping of the pelvic floor muscles. |
| Feeling less worried reduces stress-hormone adrenalin which reduces bladder irritability…meanwhile, support improves your confidence to exercise which helps your fitness & core strength… |
| Not Absorbant in any way. If you might have urine leaks you will still need to use a disposable pad or liner at the same time or wear them over your absorbent washable knickers (old-school PE Pants style!). Read more about products to manage leaks here. |
But different
| EVB Sports Shorts out of production at present. Find on e-Bay | SRC Restore Support Garment for Prolapse & incontinence www.kegel8.co.uk www.pioneermedicaleurope.co.uk | SRC Health Recovery Shorts/Leggings (for Pregnancy & Postnatal) www.kegel8.co.uk www.pioneermedicaleurope.co.uk |
| Thicker material | Thinner material | Thinner material |
| Designed to be worn during activity (but no time limit) | Can be worn day & night | All day wear, including immediately after birth |
| Pelvic floor AND abdominal support | Mainly pelvic floor support | Pelvic floor, abdominal and high back support (T2) with compression |
| Thick waistband | Thin waistband | High under-rib waistband |
| Outerwear | Underwear | Underwear & Outerwear styles available |
| Sizes 6-18 | sizes XXXS to XXL | Small, medium, large |
| Measured at waist & hip | Measured at hip (ideally by someone else) | Measured at hip (ideally by someone else) |
| n/a | £60 (VAT exemption available) | £109 |
| Black or nude | Champagne or black | Black |
| Machine wash 30º | Machine wash cold water | Machine wash cold water |
| External Zip pocket & interior pocket | Suitable to wear immediately after a caesarean |
Personal notes ….
- A key difference to highlight is the waistbands. This is likely an entirely personal preference issue –you might want to consider what you usually “like” when you are choosing your regular leggings or knickers. SRC have a lightweight waist band (hence can be worn comfortably at night) whereas EVB is a wider thicker stronger waist (useful for hitching them right up) as the tummy panel is thicker and needs this anchor. The SRC postnatal Health Recovery Shorts come very high under the ribs to help with support for your upper back too.
- SRC’s lighter support means you can comfortably wear them all day and even all night. And the postnatal garments even in the early days after vaginal or caesarean delivery. This seems to be very helpful for symptoms of urgency and frequency with the gentle uplift/compression of the perineum reducing bladder sensitivity. Several clinic clients now getting through the night with only one (not 4!) wees and feeling they have “more time” to get to a toilet, especially when out shopping or visiting friends. This could be a placebo from having more confidence that you are “safe” but that’s a good thing too!
- NEW SRC pregnancy/postnatal shorts and leggings are OUTERWEAR, with pockets for your phone and keys!
- Be inspired & guided by other women...Lots more lovely stories and testimonials on SRCs Australian site (but make sure you come back to UK sites to order SRC or you will pay Oz shipping!).
- We have a good range of SRC support shorts in my clinic for “try before you buy”.
Are they worth it?
Can’t I just wear ordinary cosmetic “shape-wear” or my best-least washed and worn leggings? Yes, do have a dig through your underwear and sports drawers to find your “tightest” (but not downward pressing!) kit. You might find you already have something in your drawer that works for you, or gives you a sense of whether this is a good route to follow. Do start experimenting with reusing anything you already have.
BUT, women are notorious for procrastination and down-grading their own needs. Please remember that self-care is not self-indulgence. You may pay a little more for these thoughtfully engineered medical-grade garments but the gains to your freedom, confidence and benefit from returning to exercise will far outweigh this small self-investment.
Are you worth it?
I believe both EVB and SRC support shorts are an important complementary, non-invasive addition to the longer-term internal pelvic floor work we physiotherapists encourage you to do.
I firmly believe that self-care is not self-indulgence. Looking after our bodies after birth and as we age is essential. Exercise is fundamental to both physical & mental wellbeing. Fit women enrich their own lives and then the lives of all the people around them.
We live in a modern world. With amazing technological inventions to help us enjoy our sports & hobbies and care for our bodies. Women need & deserve Good Kit too. Look after yourself. You are worth it.
Author: Amanda Savage MCSP MSt (Cantab) Specialist Physiotherapist
© Amanda Savage, 2023 All Rights Reserved
