Urinary Incontinence in Women: Causes, Triggers, and Proven Solutions

There are several types of urinary incontinence, but the two most commonly discussed are stress incontinence and urge incontinence.

What is Stress Incontinence?

Stress incontinence occurs when increased pressure or impact on the bladder causes leaking (loss of urine). This may be due to a lack of strength, endurance, or coordination in the pelvic floor muscles to handle that stress. It’s most commonly seen during activities like running, jumping, sneezing, coughing, heavy lifting — or even singing.

A research study that really stuck with me stated:

“46% of women who experienced pelvic floor symptoms during exercise stopped participating in the exercise. Other women modified or decreased their exercise intensity, frequency, or impact.”
(Dakic et al., 2023)

When I read this, I felt so saddened — women are limiting themselves due to something that is treatable.

Addressing stress incontinence may include interventions such as:

• Targeted pelvic floor muscle strengthening

• Whole-body strengthening

• Teaching proper pressure management

• Core bracing strategies

• Gradual and appropriate loading

A pelvic floor therapist can help identify your individual presentation and help tailor specific interventions to meet your personal goals.

What About Leaking with Jumping?

Leaking during jumping still falls under stress incontinence, but there are additional factors to consider. Jumping creates more compressive forces against the pubic bone. In this case, rather than focusing solely on pressure management, we may need to assess for weakness in the intrinsic sphincter closure system.

Research suggests that leaking with jumping is more about muscle sequencing and timing than pure strength deficits.
(Diaz et al., 2017)

Timing of pressure and muscle contraction plays a vital role in continence. Since timing is governed by nerve signaling and muscle recruitment, impact-related leaking is considered more of a timing issue than a strength one. The responsiveness of pelvic floor muscles in activities like jumping is influenced by:

• Overall pelvic floor muscle tension

• Muscle balance in the hips and pelvis

• Body alignment
  
  

What is Urge Incontinence?

Urge incontinence is the sudden, strong urge to pee — often before the bladder is actually full — which can result in leaking. This can be triggered by specific stimuli like:

• The sound of running water

• Turning on the shower

• Putting your key in the door as you arrive home
  

These triggers form habits that cause urgency even when your bladder doesn’t truly need to empty. You might rush to the bathroom only to pee for a few seconds, because your bladder wasn’t full to begin with.

Over time, peeing “just in case” or before your bladder is full can lead to:

• Incomplete emptying

• Urine retention

• Bladder desensitization and reduced elasticity

• Increased urgency and frequency
  
  

Tips to Help Manage Urgency:

• Stop “just in case peeing.” Avoid going to the bathroom just because you’re leaving the house — unless you truly need to go.

• Identify bladder irritants. Common triggers include caffeine, alcohol, carbonated beverages, acidic foods (like tomatoes or chocolate), and artificial sweeteners.

• Practice deep breathing. This helps reduce pelvic floor tension.

• Train your bladder. Gradually increase time between bathroom visits. Aim to pee about every 2 hours, or roughly 8–10 times a day. This can vary depending on factors like age, fluid intake, and medications.

• Avoid pushing to pee. Straining can stress the pelvic floor and worsen issues like prolapse. Instead, breathe deeply and relax. If you feel incomplete emptying, try standing up and sitting down again — this can "reset" the bladder and prompt a second release.
  
  

Final Thoughts:

The main takeaway from this blog is that urinary incontinence can present in different ways, depending on each individual’s symptoms and history. The good news? It is treatable — with the right assessment, a clear understanding of the type of incontinence you're experiencing, and a targeted approach to address it.

Book a free discovery call today to learn how a personalized plan can help you overcome urinary incontinence and get back to doing what you love — leak-free.

References:

Dakic JG, Hay-Smith J, Cook J, Lin KY, Frawley HC. Screening for pelvic floor symptoms in exercising women: a survey of 636 health and exercise professionals. J Sci Med Sport. 2023 Feb;26(2):80-86. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2023.01.008. Epub 2023 Jan 21. PMID: 36739199.

Sigurdardottir T, Steingrimsdottir T, Geirsson RT, Halldorsson TI, Aspelund T, Bø K. Can postpartum pelvic floor muscle training reduce urinary and anal incontinence?: An assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Mar;222(3):247.e1-247.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2019.09.011. Epub 2019 Sep 14. PMID: 31526791.

Pintos-Díaz MZ, Alonso-Blanco C, Parás-Bravo P, Fernández-de-las-Peñas C, Paz-Zulueta M, Fradejas-Sastre V, Palacios-Ceña D. Living with Urinary Incontinence: Potential Risks of Women’s Health? A Qualitative Study on the Perspectives of Female Patients Seeking Care for the First Time in a Specialized Center. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16(19):3781. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16193781