Common, and fixable

6 in 10 American women leaked urine in the past year.^[1]

That number comes from a national survey of 5,006 women. It makes leaks one of the most common health issues women have.

Here is the part I want you to keep: common and normal are two different words. Gray hair is normal. A leak when you laugh is a signal. A muscle is asking for training.

And muscles answer to training.

The 4 kinds of leaks

Of the US women who leak, here is how it splits.^[1]

Stress leaks happen when pressure lands on your bladder: a laugh, a sneeze, a jump, a heavy bag.

Urgency leaks come with a sudden "I have to go now" feeling, often on the way to the bathroom.

Mixed leaks are both. Add mixed to stress, and 68.8% of women who leak have some stress leaks.

Your type decides your first step. So find it first.

Leaks rise with age. So does the value of starting now.

In another national survey, 9.7% of women aged 20 to 39 had a pelvic floor disorder. At 80 and older, the number was 49.7%.^[2]

Age adds load to the muscles. Training adds strength back. The best year to start is the year you notice it.

The first step I recommend

Pelvic floor muscle training. Every major guideline puts it first for stress and mixed leaks: NICE in the UK, and ACOG in the US.^[3][4]

It has the numbers behind it. In a Cochrane review, 56% of women with stress leaks who trained reported cure. Without training, 6% did.^[5]

It costs nothing. It takes 5 minutes a day. You can do it on your couch.

What to do this week

1. Keep the leak log for 7 days.
2. Learn to find and lift your pelvic floor. Start with where it is, then how to do a Kegel the right way.
3. Plan for 12 weeks of practice. That is the minimum the guidelines set.^[3]

You laugh many times a day. Each laugh deserves your full attention.

Which leak would you like gone first?