There are 5 types of urinary incontinence:

  • Stress – leaking with increased intra-abdominal pressure.
  • Urge – leaking preceded by sudden, compelling need to void.
  • Mixed – a combination of stress and urge incontinence.
  • Overflow – urinary retention leading to “dribbling” or leaking without urge.
  • Functional – unable to access the toilet due to physical or cognitive barriers.

Urinary incontinence is common…

  •   Over 25 million Americans have some form of urinary incontinence.
  •   75-80% of these individuals are women.
  •   1 in 4 women over the age of 18 experience episodes of involuntary leaking.
  •   Pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause may precede onset.

…But it is NOT normal…

  • A few causes for urinary incontinence include abnormal muscle tone, mismanaged intra-abdominal pressure, altered motor control, and poor habits. 

…And you CAN fix it!

  • Research supports pelvic floor physical therapy as a conservative and effective first-line of treatment for urinary incontinence.
  • Individuals with stress urinary incontinence are 8x more likely to report cure of symptoms through pelvic floor PT.
  • Individuals with urge urinary incontinence have been shown to report fewer episodes of daily leaking with pelvic floor PT.

Bottom line: Just because urinary incontinence is common does not mean it is normal. You can fix it, and we are here to help!