Can I still exercise whilst experiencing incontinence?

Yes, yes you can. For gym regulars, exercise makes up part of an important wellness routine and developing incontinence can put a serious dampener on your overall mental wellbeing. I won’t sugarcoat it for you, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns, avoiding leakage whilst exercising is a tough one, but it’s possible! 

Exercising with bladder weakness or bowel problems requires a proactive approach to ensure comfort, confidence, and effective management. By following these guidelines you can start to navigate those gym sessions a bit easier:

• Wear the right incontinence product: Choosing the right product is a biggy for managing leaks during exercise. Some brands have developed pants specifically with active lifestyles in mind. For example, Vivactive have a range of men’s ‘active fit’ incontinence pants designed with RAPIDABSORB Tubes™ to quickly absorb liquid and keep you fresh and dry. 
• Stay hydrated, but not too much: Hydration is essential for overall health, especially when exercising, but excessive fluid intake can lead to increased urgency and frequency of urination. It’s difficult, but try to strike a balance by monitoring your water intake before and during workouts. We can’t tell you exactly how much to drink as unfortunately this one is a personal learning curve. Make a note of how much you’re drinking so that you can adjust accordingly if anything goes wrong. Also, I can’t stress this enough, do not dehydrate yourself. It’s bad for both your workout session and your incontinence. 
• Empty your bladder before exercising: Prior to hitting the gym, make sure to empty your bladder completely. This can help minimise the risk of leakage during your workout and give you the confidence to make the most of your exercise routine.
• Choose the right workout clothes: Wearing loose-fitting clothing can help conceal any visible incontinence pants or pads, giving you the best of both discretion and comfort. Opting for a loose pair of tracksuit bottoms over a tight pair of gym leggings will put less pressure on your bladder. 

It's a tough pill to swallow, but if you’re experiencing incontinence you’ll need to make some changes to your workout routine. Certain changes can help you manage incontinence whilst maintaining a healthy exercise regime.  

• Ditch those heavy compound lifts: When lifting heavy weights, the increased pressure can lead to bladder leakage. This is particularly true for women who have weakened pelvic floor muscles. Try switching out those heavy barbell squats for bodyweight squats. 
• Low-impact exercises: Engaging in low-impact exercises reduces the pressure on your pelvic floor muscles, minimising your risk of leakage. Running and sprinting are staples of the fitness world, but impact from the treadmill or concrete can increase possible leakage. Keep up with the cardio, but instead, why not try activities like walking, cycling, swimming, or using the elliptical machine (cross trainer)?
• Gradually increase intensity: If you're new to exercising or have been inactive for a while, start slowly and gradually increase the intensity of your workouts. This allows your body to adjust and reduces the likelihood of sudden leaks due to increased exertion.
• Plan breaks and toilet visits: If necessary, plan short breaks during your workout to visit the toilet. If you need to leave a class early to use the loo, do it. This can help manage urgency and minimise the risk of accidents.
• Pelvic floor exercises: Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles can significantly improve bladder control. But how do you do that? Incorporate exercises like Kegels into your fitness routine. But what on Earth is a Kegel? A Kegel is an exercise that involves contracting and releasing your pelvic floor muscles, multiple times.

How to perform a kegel:

• Empty your bladder before starting 
• Imagine you’re urinating and you suddenly need to stop mid-stream (alternatively, imagine you are trying to stop passing wind)
• You should feel a contraction inside your body in the pelvic area
• Hold the contraction for 3 to 5 seconds, then release
• Wait 3 to 5 seconds and then repeat the contraction
• You can perform this stood up, sat down, or lay down

Few brands understand the challenges facing people with incontinence better than Vivactive. Not only do Vivactive products rival the big brands in terms of quality (in some cases they’re even better) their online-only approach means they can provide them at a much lower cost. Simply switching from buying at the supermarket, to buying Vivactive products can save you hundreds of pounds a year.  

Exercising is an important part of maintaining an active lifestyle, even for people managing incontinence. By choosing high-quality incontinence items, you can keep up your gym routine knowing you’re fully protected. Remember, incontinence shouldn't hold you back from leading a fulfilling and active life.