Pelvic Health And YOU Pelvic Health Newsletter #3 Bladder Health
Jul 30, 2025
'I want to jump on a trampoline'
This week’s newsletter focuses on the bladder.
We will cover:
- what a healthy bladder should do,
- what symptoms can occur,
- why we get these symptoms and
- what we can do to treat it!
So grab a (decaff) coffee and read on…..
Don’t forget to share with your friends and family too, educate your partners and sons. Help them to understand and support you and your wider family.
Healthy bladder:
Filling phase: The bladder walls are made up of muscle fibres. A healthy bladder should be nice and relaxed during bladder filling, with 3 sphincters and the pelvic floor muscles helping to keep the urethra or ‘door’ shut
This should happen automatically without you knowing
Emptying phase: When the bladder has reached a healthy amount and we have found a toilet, we (should) sit fully on the toilet, this initiates bladder emptying, the pelvic floor and sphincters relax and the bladder muscle contracts, until the bladder is empty. See a picture of this healthy cycle below...
HEALTHY BLADDER FAQ
How much should a healthy bladder hold?
The bladder can hold 400-600mls, however in day to day life, the volume we would expect to pass would be less than this, (due to gravity, walking etc).
How many times is it healthy to go to the toilet in one day?
It depends on how much fluid is consumed in the day, however with 1.5-2L of fluid a day we would expect 4-8 wees per day.
Is it normal to get up through the night for a wee?
It is normal to have to get up once after the menopause, and twice after the age of 65.
What does the colour of my wee mean?
We used to associate the colour of urine with dehydration, however this should NOT be relied upon. Other things can influence the colour (and smell) of your wee, (including medication, vitamins, supplements and certain foods)*.
*If you are concerned about changes to the colour, smell and how often you are going to the toilet or any pain please see a health professional (nurse / GP) who can test your urine and rule out an infection.
Bladder leakage is embarrassing, limiting and inconvenient.
On average, women wait over 6 years before seeking professional help for urinary leakage. In some UK studies, up to 42% of women affected may delay treatment for as long as 15 years.
Why do people wait so long?
- Embarrassment,
- Misconception that it’s a normal part of aging or motherhood,
- Simply not knowing that effective treatments exist.
RESEARCH shows that the sooner we treat bladder leakage after onset, the better the outcome. We want to break down the stigma and barriers to seeking treatment and support. SO that you can:
GET active
STAY active
AGE active
Without your bladder holding you back.
Most common symptoms:
Stress urinary leakage (50% of women) – leakage from your bladder when there is pressure on your bladder (for example with coughing, sneezing, jumping or running).
Urgency urinary leakage (11% 0f women) – leakage from your bladder with a feeling of being desperate to rush to the toilet, for example on arrival home when putting the key in the door. Some people experience extreme urgency without bladder leakage and this can be just as bothersome.
Mixed urine leakage (24% of women)– both of the above.
Other types of urinary incontinence exist in addition to these main types.
What can physiotherapy do to help with bladder leakage?
Pelvic floor rehab (down training, strengthening, optimising during function / exercise). 50% of women who leak with exertion will be cured or significantly improved just with pelvic floor work!
Treatment of low back pain and/or pelvic pain - Studies have shown that women with urinary incontinence were more than twice as likely to experience frequent back pain as were women without and that more than three quarters of women with low back pain also experienced urinary incontinence
Weight management. 5% body weight loss is enough to see a significant reduction in urinary leakage Fluid advice. Looking at what we drink and when we drink it, along with retraining the brain with normal neural pathways can get rid of those nasty ‘key in the door panic’ moments.
Stress and anxiety management. Looking after mental health and wellbeing can take the pressure off the bladder and reduce unwanted symptoms.
Gadgets. Extra gadgets to help strengthen, prevent leakage, and allow you to be as active as you deserve to be.
Please note many gadgets exist and some are not proven to be effective in pelvic floor and bladder care. Some devices are not suitable for certain individuals or certain health conditions. For advice before using a pelvic device please speak to a health professional or member of our team.
For example:
I have heard there is a magnetic chair you can sit on and it will work my pelvic floor and improve my bladder. Is this true?
An independent literature review of 147 articles, only 5 measured direct measurements of Pelvic floor muscle contraction during treatment, NON of these studies showed that magnetic stimulation produces a contraction stronger than activating it yourself!
Jodie our new clinical lead in Pelvic Health brings 18 years of experience of improving the lives of women living with sensitive issues such as pain, prolapse, urinary leakage, bowel leakage and sexual dysfunction. Her experience comes from working as a Clinical Specialist in Female Pelvic Health in the NHS and as clinical educator to Midwives, GP’s, Physiotherapists, Consultants and Registrars in all aspects of pelvic health.
