Sound familiar? No, there is not something horribly wrong with you. In fact, you’re among the 30% of exercising women who experience a urine leak during at least one type of exercise, according to a scientific review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. It’s called stress urinary incontinence, and it’s the most common complaint of involuntary leakage, according to the researchers. During high-impact physical activity (i.e., running) the repeated pounding of your feet also creates repeated sudden pressure on your pelvic floor muscles—the ones responsible for maintaining your ability to hold it in. By the end of your run, those muscles are weaker than they were when you started, says the researchers, which explains why you experience some incontinence toward the end of your workout. One study examined by researchers found short-term fatigue of the pelvic floor muscles was present after 90 minutes of strenuous physical exercise. Oddly enough, runners aren’t the most susceptible group when it comes to stress incontinence. The authors noted trampolinists, gymnasts, hockey players, and ballet dancers experience it the most. But whether you’re flying high on a trampoline or simply training for a 5K, incontinence is more than just embarrassing—it can put you at risk for increased occurrence of yeast infections, urinary tract infections, and sleep disturbances, according to the researchers. More from Prevention:UTI? Maybe You Should Skip The Script Lucky for you, the key to controlling the involuntary urge isn’t found in a pill bottles. Experts agree the best way to prevent and treat any type of incontinence is through pelvic floor muscle training—aka Kegels. “Kegels work because over time they thicken the muscles that hold your urethra and other organs in place," says Jill Maura Rabin, MD, head of urogynecology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Get the answers to all your Kegel questions before you get started. You only need to do them two to three times a day (sitting at your desk counts!) to start enjoying your runs again, leak free. More from Prevention: 3 Questions and Answers About Kegel Exercises
