Bladder Health and Pelvic Floor PT
Bladder Health Awareness Month: Why Your Pelvic Floor Matters More Than You Think - North Shore MA
Bladder Leaks, Urgency, or “Just in Case” Peeing? You’re Not Alone—And You Don’t Have to Live With It
You’re mid-run, feeling strong and suddenly, that familiar urge hits.
Or maybe you sneeze during a meeting and feel that little trickle.
You laugh it off, but deep down you wonder: Is this just part of having kids? Getting older? Something I just have to accept?
Let’s set the record straight. Just because something is common does not make it normal. And you do not have to "just deal with it."
What Is Bladder Health?
Good bladder health means your bladder stores and empties urine effectively and comfortably, without pain, leakage, or needing to go too frequently.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), over 30 million Americans live with bladder control problems, the vast majority are women. Yet, many don’t seek help, assuming these changes are just part of aging, go hand in hand with pregnancy or are a “normal” postpartum recovery.
But here’s the truth: Bladder issues are common, not normal and they’re treatable.
Why Bladder Health Matters
Bladder issues are more than just inconvenient. They are life altering.
You might:
Avoid running or jumping because of leaks.
Pee “just in case” before every class or car ride. Or you avoid long trips all together.
Skip workouts because you’re afraid of an accident. And before you know it you are avoiding activities you used to love and staying mostly sedentary.
Avoid intimacy due to fear of embarrassment or discomfort.
In fact nearly half of all women with incontinence significantly reduce their activity levels and up to 25% stop their activities all together. This drop in activity level can lead to higher risks of osteopenia as we know that lifting and jumping are great for bone health.
Often times women think their bladder issues will get better on their own. This is usually not the case leading to years of struggle. Bladder issues are a leading cause of assisted living/ long term care admissions with incontinence being cited as the second most common reason for admission.
Bladder issues can be painful, consume your thoughts, alter your perception of yourself and ultimately have negative effects on your overall health and wellness.
Bladder Issues by the Numbers
Here’s the reality check most women don’t get:
Roughly 1 in 3 women experience bladder leakage (urinary incontinence) in their lifetime.
Over 60% of adult women report some bladder control issues.
About 40% of women have Overactive Bladder
It’s not just older women—many postpartum and athletic women experience bladder leaks, urgency, or frequency.
Only about half of women with bladder symptoms ever seek help.
95% of women with urinary incontinence report decreased quality of life
Common Bladder Symptoms Women Experience
You likely do not think about your bladder until something feels “off.”
Here are some of the most common symptoms pelvic floor physical therapy can help address:
Urinary leakage when sneezing, laughing, running, or lifting
Urinary Leaking on your way to the bathroom
Frequent urination and/or a strong, sudden urge to go
Incomplete emptying or feeling like you have to go again minutes later
Pain or burning in the bladder or pelvic area
Waking multiple times at night to urinate
If any of these sound familiar this is your reminder that you aren't alone and pelvic floor physical therapy can help.
The Bladder and the Pelvic Floor
Your pelvic floor muscles support your bladder. They act as a hammock for your pelvic organs to rest. You also have pelvic floor muscles that control the opening and closing of the urethra. These are smooth muscle at the internal sphincter which are involuntary and skeletal muscle at the external sphincter which are voluntary meaning we have conscious control over them.
Our bladder health depends on nervous system control of both the autonomic nervous system (involuntary) and somatic (voluntary) and the pelvic floor is innervated by both.
When these muscles are weak, tight, or uncoordinated, they can cause issues with the support that bladder is or is not getting and also can create dysfunction with when the urethra is opening to allow voiding. That’s when issues like leaking, urgency, or pelvic pain show up.
Pelvic floor physical therapy helps by:
Improving coordination between pelvic muscles
Releasing tension that may contribute to urgency or pain
Help with bladder retraining and health bathroom habits
Strengthening the muscles that support bladder control
Education, lifestyle and healthy bathroom habits: hydration, bladder irritants and no you don't need to pee "just in case"!
Address bowel health and constipation which often correlates with bladder health and I talk more about that here.
Regulating the nervous system and addressing nerve tension or entrapment that can be related.
5 Everyday Tips to Support Your Bladder Health You can start today
Stop “just in case” peeing—trust your bladder’s true urge.
Hydrate evenly throughout the day; don’t restrict fluids out of fear and do not overload all at once
Avoid constipation—straining increases pelvic floor pressure.
Breathe through your lifts—don’t bear down.
Get assessed—a pelvic floor PT can identify what your body truly needs.
What the Research Says
The science is clear:
Pelvic floor muscle training can reduce or even eliminate bladder leaks.
It’s proven to improve urgency and frequency symptoms in women with overactive bladder.
Studies show it’s the most effective first-line treatment for urinary incontinence—especially postpartum.
Bottom line: pelvic floor PT works—and it’s backed by decades of evidence. Pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) is the gold-standard, first-line treatment for most bladder symptoms recommended before surgery or medication.
And your pelvic floor physical therapist can help determine if additional care is needed and help refer you out.
A pelvic floor PT evaluation goes beyond the bladder.
At Find Your Way Mama in North Andover and Amesbury, MA, Dr. Arielle Martone looks at your posture, breathing patterns, core function, and daily habits. I look at the whole person, not just your bladder or pelvic floor. That means assessing how your muscles, posture, breath, and bladder habits work together—and where they need retraining.
Your customized program might include:
Manual therapy to address muscle tightness or nerve irritation
Targeted exercises to strengthen or relax the pelvic floor
Bladder retraining to reduce frequency and urgency
Education on hydration, voiding habits, and lifestyle changes
This whole-body, whole-person approach helps restore balance—because bladder health is never just about the bladder.
Because taking care of your bladder is taking care of your whole self.
Don’t wait for symptoms to get worse.
Book your pelvic floor PT consultation with Dr. Arielle Martone today and start your journey toward better bladder health.
www.findyourwaymama.com
