Do you leak when you sneeze? If so, I may have an answer for you. Have you ever walked outside on the sunny day, immediately sneeze then unfortunately, felt a drip of urine onto your underwear?? If so, you’re not alone. This “stress” type incontinence is very common, but NOT normal.
I want to teach you a simple technique that you can do today to try and stop that kind of leakage from happening. This technique is called “The Knack.”
To get the most success out of the “The Knack,” you want to try to do this when you have warning that a sneeze is going to happen. What you do is stop in place (stand still) and try and contract to the pelvic floor muscles (a.k.a. kegel) before you sneeze. The pelvic floor muscles are located at the bottom of our pelvis. When you contract these muscles, think as if you’re trying to hold back gas or hold back pee. You should feel a squeezing sensation in the vagina and anus.
To review, if you have warning that a sneeze is coming, stop where you at, try and pre-contract your pelvic floor muscles, and brace for that sneeze to come. “The Knack” can also help reduce or eliminate leakage when you cough, laugh, or blow your nose.
So, that’s it! Go and try it. Hopefully this helps you control your bladder when you sneeze. If not, we are happy to be a resource for you at Legacy Physical Therapy. In fact, check out our free guide on Bladder Leakage for more tips.
