Is It Normal to Leak Urine During Exercise?

Working out is supposed to boost your mood, help you maintain a healthy weight, help reduce your risk of diseases, and help you build lean muscle mass. All of these things can leave you feeling on top of the world 一 until you leak urine.

If you’re wondering if this is a normal experience, you should know that you’re not alone. Nearly 200 million people struggle with urinary incontinence across the globe. 

Here, Dr. Essam Taymour and our team at Gynecology and Obstetrics Medical Group in Long Beach, California, answer a common question: Is it normal to leak urine during exercise?  

Incontinence and exercise

Leaking urine during exercise is nothing short of embarrassing. Unfortunately, it’s an all-too-common experience for women. 

Normally, the sphincter muscles in your urethra remain contracted to keep urine in your bladder. When you’re ready to urinate, these muscles relax so you can release urine. 

However, if you have stress urinary incontinence 一 a common source of urine leaks 一 any pressure (or stress) on your bladder can cause your urethral sphincter muscles to relax prematurely. Even if they do so just for a moment, urine can leak out.

Exercises that are notorious for adding pressure on your bladder include high-impact exercises, situps, running at high speeds, and any workout that involves jumping. Lifting heavy weights can also contribute to leaks.

Exercising isn’t the only activity that puts stress on your bladder. Coughing, laughing, and even sneezing can contribute to urinary leaks. 

What to do about urine leaks

Yes, it’s normal for women who have stress urinary incontinence to leak urine during exercise. But just because it’s common doesn't make it any less embarrassing. The good news is that you’re not doomed to leak every time you hit the gym. 

You can help manage stress incontinence during your workout by:

• Emptying your bladder before you work out
• Wearing black pants or shorts to minimize any sign of leaks
• Wearing absorbent undergarments 
• Practicing Kegel exercises daily to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles

You might be tempted to skip your workout to avoid leaks, but resist this temptation. Working out is good for your overall mental and physical wellness. Instead, focus on treating the underlying issue: stress urinary incontinence.

We can help you manage urinary incontinence

Dr. Taymour is experienced in female incontinence issues and is ready to help you find the relief you need. He reviews your symptoms and medical history and performs a pelvic exam, and he could recommend exercises, medications, or minimally invasive surgical procedures to help alleviate the embarrassing symptoms of incontinence. 

To sum it up: Leaking urine may be common, but you don’t have to accept it as the status quo. Help is just a call or click away. Contact Gynecology and Obstetrics Medical Group at 562-247-3038 or through our online booking form.