What do you do if 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?

Tips to manage bladder leaks when running or active:

this article contains some affiliate links marked*. 

#1.  Use a pad designed for bladder leakage not menstruation

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 products 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: 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. 

but if you need more than a light pad

If you suffer with more severe leakage and could potentially empty half your bladder, or would risk getting wet clothes, then look at the pads in bags which will be more absorbent or disposable pants (see #3).  

#2   Disposable Pants

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.  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. 

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 skorts and skirts

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. No one will even notice if you are wearing a pad or have a bladder leak when you’re running.

£20-£80. Offered by sports brands Decathalon, Salomon, Reebok and fashion brands too:

 

#5   Add extra support to your core from 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. Have a look at EVB Sports Shorts* if you feel just generally ‘unsupported’ at the moment. Specially designed to add effective uplift to both the pelvic floor and abdomen. Full detail in the blog post: Are EVB Sports Shorts an active Mum’s 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. Can be an ideal strategy to stop bladder leaks when running.   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 re-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 you do with a bit more support when you are trying to be more active?

More detail about their similarities and differences in the 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 and tested tips to reduce bladder leaks when running?  Please share your experiences with other mums in our comments section below.  Your story will inspire others.

#beyouroptiMUM  #pantsnotpads #NoMoreMiserableMums