Managing Stress Incontinence (Or How to Stop Leaking!)

Season 1 • Episode 6
Myra Robson, Pelvic Health Physio & Founder of the Squeezy App

Have you ever had a little wee when you sneeze, cough or exercise? Honestly? Because it wouldn’t be surprising. It’s called stress incontinence and it happens to 1 in 3 women, yet it’s the one thing we never speak about. 40% of women are too embarrassed to consult their doctor about it and just accept what the media has coyly termed “whoops” moments as an inevitable part of ageing. But it doesn’t have to be that way – for many women, the issue can be corrected in as little as 6 weeks with the right support.

In this episode, I speak to women’s health physiotherapist Myra Robson, who specialises in pelvic health at Lewisham Hospital in London, supporting women with stress incontinence and prolapse. She’s absolutely passionate about getting the message out there and is part of the Pelvic Roar campaign team which raises awareness about pelvic health. She’s also the founder of the awarding-winning Squeezy app, to help us all keep on track with our pelvic floor exercises.

“Common, not normal” is her view on leaking and she unravels the mysteries of the pelvic floor, so you understand exactly what’s going on when you leak and how you can stop it.

There’s an awful lot of help out there, once you know where to look, and in many cases the solution can be very simple, so there’s no reason to assume you’ll have to pad up for the rest of your life. Myra explains how to do your pelvic floor exercises correctly, so join us for a ‘squeeze-along’ and find out what inspired her to create the brilliant Squeezy app, which I think every woman should have on her phone. It certainly helps me to keep on track with my exercises.

Resolving your pelvic floor issues can be life-changing and make for a happier and healthier midlife and old age. Follow Myra’s advice and you’ll be able to laugh, sneeze and run to your heart’s content and never have another whoops moment.

Show Notes

You can find out more about Myra by visiting Pelvic Roar, her pelvic health campaign website.

You can also follow her on Twitter,  Facebook and Instagram.

Check out the Squeezy App website for details of a women’s health physiotherapist in your area and download the Squeezy app from the play store on your smart phone.

Useful Resources and Products

Here are some of the websites and services that we discussed or that are relevant to the theme of the podcast:

Here is a handy Guide to Pelvic Floor exercises from the specialist team at the White Hart Clinic.

Follow the brilliant Elaine Miller at @GussieGrips for frank, funny and factual advice about pelvic health.

Baz Moffat is a women’s health and fitness coach, specialising in pelvic floor-friendly training.

A quick shout-out for The Happy Menopause sponsors Sylk: their plant-based lubricant is entirely in tune with the theme of this episode! Visit their website to claim your FREE sample.