Leaky Bladder? Exercises to Help this Problem

How Exercise Can Fix Urinary Incontinence

Sep 2, 2008 Christine Fadhley

Do you wet yourself when you run, lift, laugh, cough or sneeze? Here are some suggestions to solve this embarrassing problem

It’s not just the elderly that suffer from a leaky bladder. Loss of muscular control over the bladder can occur much earlier in life. There are four types of urinary incontinence:

• Stress incontinence—muscles that support the bladder become weak from pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, etc
• Urge incontinence—is the sudden, need to urinate several times day and night because the urinary muscles contract abnormally as the bladder fills.
• Overflow incontinence- is a constant dripping of urine that affects men with prostate problems
• Functional incontinence - happens to older people, or those who are slowed by arthritis and can't get to the bathroom in time.

How Exercise Can Help with Leaky Bladder

Many incontinence problems can be helped by some form of pelvic floor exercise. The pelvic floor helps support the bladder and regular exercises will tone these muscles. This improves muscular control which benefits all types of incontinence.

Self Diagnosis is Unwise

If you haven’t seen a doctor about your health problems, you are advised to do so in case there are other causes that need to be diagnosed, and especially if you are using an internal device of any sort or have internal stitches.

The Root & Sacral Locks in Yoga

These exercises can be done any time, even when waiting in a line or sitting in a chair:

Root Lock – this involves tightening the pelvic floor muscles and keeping them pulled up into the body. Simultaneously contract the muscles of the anus – pull them up into the body. One way to learn how to do the root lock is to try to "stop the flow" a few times while you are urinating.

Sacral Lock – this is done by pulling the belly muscles in towards the spine and holding them in.

Practice doing the locks first. When you can do them you are ready to go on to the next stage.

Abdominal Lift Exercise Helps with Leaky Bladder

These exercises are great for strengthening the bladder-controlling muscles. Please understand the instructions before you attempt the exercises. Here is how to do it:

1. Stand with legs apart – just a bit wider than the hips.
2. Bend the knees slightly and place your hands just above the knees to support the weight.
3. Take a few deep breaths – breathe all the way down to the belly.
4. Breathe all of the air out of the lungs and keep the air out by pressing your chin to your chest.
5. Pull up the pelvic floor muscles and straight away pull in the belly – in other words put on the root and sacral locks as tight as you can.
6. Let go and repeat as many times as you can before the oxygen runs out and you need to breathe again.

N.B. Keeping the air out of the lungs while you are doing these exercises is important as it makes room for the muscles to contract and lift up.

Daily Practice is Important

Repeat the whole thing 3 times a day the first week and then gradually increase the number of daily rounds you do over time.

Other Things You Can Do to Strengthen Bladder Muscles

There may be a yeast infection in the bladder that causes permanent irritation and feelings of bladder fullness.

Prevention of Leaky Bladder is Better than Cure

A regular exercise class (pilates or gentle yoga) is beneficial for toning muscles all over. Attending a weekly class can make a huge difference over one’s lifetime. If back problems are hindering you, there is a five minute yoga routine you can try at home.

The copyright of the article Leaky Bladder? Exercises to Help this Problem in Natural Medicine is owned by Christine Fadhley. Permission to republish Leaky Bladder? Exercises to Help this Problem in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Louise is Doing the Abdominal Lifts