Bladder leaks and pelvic floor exercises

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Know that common does not mean normal, or permanent

   A great many women leak a little and almost none of them mention it, which is why it goes untreated for years. It is not an inevitable part of getting older and it is not something to simply live with. Pelvic floor training helps most women who do it properly and keep it up, and it is free.

   Learn more: Muscle strength and ageing
2. 2

   Step 2: Find the right muscles first

   This is the step most people skip and it is the one that decides whether any of it works. The muscles you want are the ones you would use to stop yourself passing wind, or to stop the flow of urine midstream. Use that only as a way to identify them, never as the exercise itself, which can cause problems. Your stomach, thighs and buttocks should stay relaxed, and nobody should be able to tell you are doing it.

   Learn more: Movement as a community habit
3. 3

   Step 3: Do them properly, twice a day

   Two kinds, in one short session. Slow: squeeze, lift and hold for up to ten seconds, then rest for the same, ten times. Fast: squeeze and release quickly, ten times. Breathe normally throughout. Twice a day is plenty, it takes a few minutes, and you can do it sitting in a chair with nobody knowing.

   Learn more: Chair dance for bone and muscle
4. 4

   Step 4: Give it three months

   This is a muscle like any other, and muscles take time. Most women notice a difference at around six to twelve weeks, and stopping means losing it again, so it works best as something permanent rather than a course. Tie it to something you already do daily, which is what makes it stick.

   Learn more: Ten essentials of healthy ageing
5. 5

   Step 5: Do not drink less, and do ask for help

   Cutting down on fluid is the common instinct and it backfires: concentrated urine irritates the bladder and makes urgency worse. Keep drinking normally and ease back on caffeine and fizzy drinks instead. And do raise it with your doctor. There are several different causes, some straightforward to treat, and a women's health physiotherapist can check you are exercising correctly, which makes a large difference.

   Learn more: Nutrition basics

All topics in this guide

• Muscle strength and ageing
• Movement as a community habit
• Chair dance for bone and muscle
• Ten essentials of healthy ageing
• Nutrition basics

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