It seems that physical activity can trigger urinary leakage… and in fact, it’s TRUE. More than half of female athletes experience it, and 1 in 10 women may even develop pelvic organ prolapse. This still-too-often-taboo issue affects everyone, whatever your age: from the young athlete to the woman after childbirth, and even men (yes, really!)
In this article, we explain why the risk of urinary incontinence increases during physical exertion. Discover which sports to choose and which solutions are available to help you stay active with confidence.
- Understanding the mechanism of stress incontinence: Find out why the intra-abdominal pressure generated during sport puts your pelvic floor under strain.
- Adapting your sport routine: Running, Pilates, swimming... Which sports should you temporarily avoid, and which should you choose to protect your pelvic floor ?
- Finding long-lasting solutions: From pelvic floor training with a healthcare professional to using the connected Emy Trainer pelvic floor trainer at home, get back to sport with peace of mind!
Help, I leak urine when I exercise
Playing sport puts pressure on the pelvic floor. Stress incontinence can happen if the muscles don’t contract strongly enough or quickly enough during intense exertion.
Impact of sport on the pelvic floor
The link between sport and urinary incontinence is explained by mechanics. Physical activity creates pressure on the pelvic floor. Urinary leakage can occur if these muscles do not contract strongly enough or quickly enough during intense exertion.
It’s important to remember that the pelvic floor is used every day for its functions of continence and support of the pelvic organs. Think of it as a 3D structure that adapts to our movements and to our respiration.
Depending on the sport you do, your pelvic floor is more or less engaged. In so-called “supported” sports, such as cycling, swimming and rollerblading, the impact on the pelvic floor is relatively low.
High-impact sports such as running or trampoline place much greater demands on your pelvic floor. Problems can arise in the long term.
Understanding the link between leakage and sport
To prevent leakage, the closing pressure of the sphincter must be greater than the pressure exerted by urine trying to come out.
But during strong contractions of the abdominal wall, your stomach presses down hard. Faced with this excess pressure, the pressure on the bladder increases and the sphincter gives way, which causes an involuntary leak.
Running, for example, gradually reduces the tone of the pelvic floor. Leakage affects 52% of female athletes during intensive training.
Sport and prolapse
Indeed, the pelvic floor supports the bladder, uterus and rectum. With the repetition of impacts, these muscles and suspensory ligaments can stretch, fail to hold these organs in place properly, and let them drop into the vagina. This is called pelvic organ descent, or prolapse. High-impact sports therefore increase the risk of developing pelvic organ descent.
The best way to prevent these problems is still prevention! Do exercises regularly to keep your pelvic floor strong and limit the risk of urinary leakage or prolapse during sport.
Urinary leakage and sport: which activities should you choose?
High-risk sports to avoid
High-impact sports involving jumps place excessive pressure on your pelvic floor muscles. Faced with this repeated excess pressure, the pelvic floor weakens, increasing the risk of exercise-related urinary leakage.
Gymnastics, crossfit, running and other high-intensity activities are not recommended if the muscles of the pelvic floor muscles are weakened. These high-impact sports increase the risk factor for stress urinary incontinence. If you do them, make sure to do strength training.
To avoid: running, skipping rope, basketball, football, handball, tennis, horse riding.
The "supported" sports to choose
If you have urinary leakage during exercise, temporarily choose low-impact sports. They involve few jumps and put little pressure on the pelvic muscles. Once you have regained good muscle tone, you can consider returning to team sports.
To choose: swimming, cycling, Pilates, walking.
Taking care of your pelvic floor every day
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Stay well hydrated: You may think that drinking less water would reduce the small leak. However, for good nutrition and overall health, your body needs to stay hydrated, especially in the event of weight loss or physical exertion. Never stop drinking.
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Don’t pee as a precaution: People think an empty bladder protects you. Although this is an old piece of advice, the urge to urinate is necessary to respect bladder control and prevent overactive bladder.
What solutions are there for exercising without leaks?
There are many solutions available. You can discuss the alternatives directly with a healthcare professional. Several factors will need to be taken into account to suggest the most suitable solution for you:
- the type of sport
- your level of practice
- how much discomfort you feel during physical activity
I take care of my pelvic floor
Adapting your practice to reduce pressure
First of all, you can adapt your sports practice and limit high-impact movements. Sports such as trampolining are more likely to lead to urinary incontinence.
It is not so much the sport itself, but the repeated high-impact landings at speed, such as jumping, that are linked to urine leaks.
So if you are prone to leaks, you can vary your sport to reduce impact. You can also adjust your movement pattern to reduce the impact during your workout.
Wearing a pessary temporarily
A temporary solution to use during sport can be a pessary. It is an intravaginal disc- or ring-shaped device that supports the pelvic organs in place.
Easy to insert, this solution is simple to use and helps temporarily prevent involuntary urine leaks during sport.
Wearing a pessary does not address the source of the problem of urine leaks when you exercise. It simply relieves the symptoms.
The pelvic floor supports the bladder, uterus or rectum. With repeated impacts and intra-abdominal pressure, these muscles can become stretched and allow the organs to descend: this is prolapse. The best way to avoid leaks and these problems remains prevention and awareness. Do exercises regularly to keep your pelvic floor strong, regain the freedom to laugh without fear, and reduce the risks. It is very beneficial!
Strengthen your pelvic floor through pelvic floor training
Your healthcare professional may also prescribe exercises tailored to your pelvic floor that you can do at home.
Depending on your assessment, devices may be considered to reduce urine leaks during sport or encourage you to do the exercises.
In general, pelvic floor training helps you become aware of your pelvic floor and tone it. It can be done in a physiotherapy clinic or at home.
Tone your pelvic floor at home with Emy Trainer
Are you looking for a new practical solution to strengthen your pelvic floor ? The connected medical device Emy Trainer lets you train your intimate area wherever you want!
Connected to a fun fitness app, the trainer is based on Kegel exercises. It actively works all the muscles thanks to biofeedback.
Different programmes are available, and the exercises adapt to each woman’s level. An effective solution to strengthen your pelvic floor and exercise with complete peace of mind, without worrying about urinary leakage!
Tailored fitness programmes for the pelvic floor
In addition to the exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor, the Emy app offers tailored fitness and yoga sessions for the pelvic floor.
These sessions provide targeted training to:
- improve your posture;
- tone your body;
- improve or maintain your fitness;
- take care of your body and intimate health…
The Emy app offers more than 14 programmes created by specialised coaches, and the sessions are adapted to all levels.
These programmes will help you regain full control of your body while taking care of your pelvic floor!
What you need to know to avoid stress urinary incontinence
- Choose low-impact sports: Temporarily set aside jumping and running. Instead, opt for gentle activities (swimming, Pilates) to protect your pelvic floor and reduce the risk of urinary incontinence.
- Talk to a healthcare professional: Don’t stay silent. Medical support is essential to address the problem at the source through tailored pelvic floor and pelvic rehabilitation.
- Commit to regular training: Actively strengthen your pelvic floor! At-home solutions like the Emy Trainer pelvic floor trainer help you tone your intimate area at your own pace so you can get back to sport with complete peace of mind.
FAQ: Sport and Urinary Leaks
What is stress incontinence?
It is a mechanical disorder caused by a sudden increase in abdominal pressure during physical activity. If the muscles in your pelvic floor are weakened, the sphincter can no longer withstand this strong pressure, which causes urine to leak involuntarily.
What are the signs of stress urinary incontinence?
It is characterised by the involuntary loss of a few drops of urine, with no sensation of urgency or a pressing need to go to the toilet. This leak is always triggered by a physical action that contracts the abdomen (a jump, running, lifting a heavy load, or even a sneeze).
Why do I leak urine when I run or jump?
With every impact on the ground, the weight of your organs creates strong mechanical downward pressure on your bladder. If the muscles in your pelvic floor lack tone to resist this downward force, the sphincter gives way and urine leaks out.
Is it normal to have urinary leaks at 20 or 30?
Although this is not “normal” from a physiological point of view, it is extremely common, even among young female athletes who have never had a child. Intense training can tire the pelvic floor, so it is important not to dismiss this symptom and to take action.
Which sports are riskiest for the pelvic floor?
It is strongly advised to temporarily pause high-impact activities. Avoid:
- Trampolining and skipping rope;
- CrossFit;
- Horse riding;
- Sports with changes in footing or repeated jumps.
Is wearing a pessary during sport effective?
Yes, a pessary is an excellent temporary tool. It mechanically supports the urethra and organs during exertion, helping you stay dry.
However, it does not replace training: it treats the symptom, not the cause
Can you keep running with urinary leaks?
It is preferable to take a break so you don’t worsen the laxity of your pelvic floor under the effect of repeated impacts. Once your pelvic floor is stronger, you can gradually get back to running.
Should you drink less before exercise to prevent leaks?
Definitely not! Reducing your fluid intake makes your urine more concentrated, which can irritate your bladder and trigger urgent urges to pee.
👉 Keep drinking water as normal before, during and after your training session to protect your overall health.
How can you avoid urinary leaks during exercise?
In the short term, adapt your sport by removing impact, make sure to exhale properly during exertion and use a support such as a pessary.
👉 In the long term, pelvic floor training is the only lasting solution. Using a medical device such as Emy Trainer enables you to continue this training at home and track your progress.
Sources :
- Pelvic Floor Muscle Rehabilitation Using Biofeedback, Diane Kaschak Newman, July 2014, Urologic Nursing 34(4):193-202. - link
- Prospective evaluation of the connected biofeedback EMY Kegel trainer in the management of stress urinary incontinence, Jochum F, Garbin O, Godet J, Ragueneau M, Meyer C, Billecocq S, Lecointre L, Akladios C, Host A, February 2022, Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Human Reproduction 51(2):102280. - link
- Urinary incontinence in elite female athletes and dancers, Thyssen HH et al., February 2002, International Urogynecology Journal and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction 13(1):15-7. - link
