Swimming Incontinence: Why Do I Leak Pee After Swimming?

You might leak pee after swimming because your pelvic floor muscles are not strong enough. Either during or after swimming you can have a strong  need to pee. Therefore, if you suffer from urinary incontinence, it may cause your leakage. 

Why not check: How To Prevent Urinary Incontinence 
 
It is important to realize that urinary incontinence IS NOT a natural symptom of aging or having given birth in fact, urinary incontinence can happen at any age and regardless of pregnancies. This is a medical problem that requires proper treatment.

Incontinence of urination is particularly troublesome for physically active women. Not only does it cause embarrassment, but it also may lower your self-esteem and has an extremely negative effect on mental health.  

Many people suffering from stress urinary incontinence (SUI) gives up many social meetings or physical activities. Uncontrolled bladder leaks make a trip to the swimming pool seem impossible. It is difficult to talk about this as even a small effort like coughing or sneezing leads to involuntary urination.

But remember, you can change that! What are you waiting for? :) 

Why Does Swimming Make You Pee? 

Have you ever experienced an urgent need to pee during or after swimming? You are not the only one. 
The feeling that after entering the water we have a more frequent need to empty the bladder is perfectly NORMAL and it is called cold immersion diuresis.

The cold water takes away the heat of the blood vessels closer to the surface in our body. The blood vessels constrict and therefore decrease the flow of blood in the body’s extremities to conserve heat. The reduction in blood flow leads to a quick increase in blood pressure. The body attempts to compensate for this increase in arterial blood pressure by relieving itself of liquid elsewhere.

The quickest and easiest way for your body to do this is to pee. The colder the water, the higher the diuresis.  

You may wonder why you faced this problem in the private or public swimming pool. It is exactly the same reason. The pool water although warmer, it’s still colder than human’s body temperature. 

So, if you have a weak pelvic floor and suffer from urinary incontinence, leaking after or during swimming is very likely. But do not worry, there are solutions that will help you to enjoy the water. 
 

How to Go Swimming with Incontinence?  

To feel more confident when you swim with incontinence, you can: 
 

1. Do your Kegels  
2. Use incontinence swimsuits
3. Prepare yourself
4. Hydrate yourself
5. Do not skip exercises

1. Do your Kegels 

Kegel exercises are helpful for several reasons, including reducing urine incontinence symptoms and maintaining pelvic floor health. Increasing pelvic floor strength and tone can help ease symptoms like bladder leakage during and after swimming. 

This is when using a Kegel trainer such as Secret Whispers Kegel Weights is so beneficial. They work by engaging the correct pelvic floor muscles and showing you how to perform a Kegel exercise correctly. 

The Slow Kegel Exercise: 
Ideally, with an empty bowel and bladder, pull up and hold your pelvic floor muscles for up to 10 seconds. Then relax your pelvic floor muscles for 5 seconds. This can take a few weeks to get up to the desired 10 second hold. Practice makes perfect remember. To start out, try doing just 5 reps and build it up. 
As you get adjusted to your new routine, aim for 10-second contractions followed by 5-second breaks. Then you can work up to 3 sets of 10 full Kegels every day. 

The Fast Kegel Exercise:  
This is when you pull up and release quickly. Great for stress incontinence. You want to add 10 fast ones after you have done your Slow Kegels. 
Repeat 3 times! 
 
Remember, do not let incontinence stop you!!! 
 

2. Use incontinence swimsuits 

Choosing the right  products is particularly important for women with urinary incontinence. Sanitary pads will not work during trips to the beach or swimming pool. 

The best solution for you to feel comfortable but also have fun and enjoy the day is incontinence swimsuits. There are a lot of brands with nice looking swimsuits in a variety of colors and sizes. You can find something you like, and no one will even notice the difference 😊 

3. Do not skip exercises 

Giving up exercise and swimming can only make the problem worse. According to specialists, training and exercise support the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. Movement and proper exercise have an incredibly positive effect on the pelvic floor muscles, thus improving their efficiency. With a well-adjusted training plan, it activates the parts of the body that are responsible for controlling the bladder.

Physical activity also reduces the risk of being overweight, which is considered one of the factors contributing to urinary incontinence. 

Doctors and physical therapists advise people suffering from urinary incontinence not to perform exercises that increase abdominal pressure. Weightlifting, scissors, and strength training, which often involves holding your breath, puts pressure on the bladder and pelvic floor muscles. However, activities in which the chest rises are recommended, as it reduces the pressure in the bladder. Exercises that fall under this range are primarily cycling, yoga and swimming. Trips to the swimming pool are therefore highly recommended. They allow you to take care of the good condition of the muscles and the whole body. 

4. Prepare yourself 

Women with stress urinary incontinence should always prepare themselves properly for exercise. This will avoid the feeling of discomfort and the fear of uncontrolled leakage.

First, it is worth using the toilet just before training and taking breaks during activity. You can also limit the consumption of beverages such as coffee and sugary drinks as these are an irritant to the bladder. This will minimize the risk of involuntary urination during exercise.

It is also necessary to adjust the intensity and type of exercise to the current abilities. For a trip to the pool, it is better to choose a swimming style that will not overload your muscles and bladder. AND remember to do some Kegel exercises before any physical activity. 

5. Hydrate yourself