Urinary incontinence can strike at different points in your life, but it tends to be more common as you get older. Now, new research has found that the condition may be managed by doing regular yoga classes.
That’s the major takeaway from a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study’s researchers note that this can be done by just about anyone, making treatment for urinary incontinence more accessible.
But why might yoga help with urinary incontinence, and should you start doing it now? Here’s the deal.
Meet the experts: Alison Huang, MD, professor of Medicine, Urology, and Epidemiology & Biostatistics at University of California San Francisco. Ashley Rawlins, PT, DPT, a pelvic floor physical therapist at Origin. G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, lead ob-gyn at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
What did the study find?
For the study, researchers had people go through one of two 12-week exercise programs. In one program, 121 women with urinary incontinence did a regular yoga class. During the other, 119 women with urinary incontinence did a physical conditioning class (this was designed to be the control group).
Women in the yoga group learned 16 hatha yoga poses designed to strengthen the pelvic floor, completing two 90-minute sessions a week. They were also asked to practice yoga for at least one hour a week outside of class. Women in the control group, meanwhile, did two 90-minute sessions a week on nonspecific stretching and strengthening exercises. They were also asked to work out for an additional hour per week.
The researchers found that after 12 weeks, people in the yoga program had about 65 percent fewer episodes of incontinence. But women in the control group had a similar benefit, with researchers noting that these results were on par with taking medications for the condition.
Can yoga treat urinary incontinence?
Possibly. However, the researchers also found that doing a workout program also lowered rates of urinary incontinence.
“For many women, especially older women, urinary incontinence doesn’t develop because of an isolated problem with the bladder or urinary tract. Instead, a variety of changes in women’s overall physical and mental function can lead to or worsen problems with bladder control,” lead study author Alison Huang, MD, professor of Medicine, Urology, and Epidemiology & Biostatistics at University of California San Francisco, tells Women’s Health. Those reasons can include weakness of the pelvic floor that supports the bladder, decline in overall physical conditioning, and overlapping stress and anxiety.
“There’s good reason to think that pelvic floor yoga, which can simultaneously address all of these factors, may be helpful for women with urinary incontinence—that is, if yoga is taught and practiced in the right way,” Huang says.
It’s a good idea to consider yoga if you’re struggling with incontinence, says Ashley Rawlins, PT, DPT, a pelvic floor physical therapist at Origin. “Yoga is super beneficial for pelvic floor health because it encourages pelvic floor muscle strength, flexibility, coordination, and body awareness, which are all really important for the pelvic floor’s ability to support bladder function,” she says.
Yoga is also a safe and accessible way to exercise, she points out. “Plus, it’s a low impact option that allows you to build strength and flexibility in your pelvic floor without the extra challenge of impact, like is the case with other forms of exercise like walking, running, or HIIT.”
Should I start doing yoga for urinary incontinence?
Huang says doing any low-impact exercise may be helpful. “Some people may feel that the study provides good evidence to recommend this type of yoga to women with urinary incontinence,” she says. “Other people might argue that much of the potential benefit of yoga for incontinence might be shared with other forms of low-impact, muscle-strengthening exercise.”
But taking up a yoga habit can’t hurt. “There are definitely some yoga-specific exercises that pelvic floor therapists teach patients that’s helpful,” says G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, lead ob-gyn at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. “I would never discourage a patient from wanting to try this.”
However, it’s also recommended that you try to maintain a healthy weight, do your best to avoid constipation, and do pelvic floor muscle exercises like kegels, according to the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). In more extreme cases, taking medications, getting Botox injections, and even having surgery may help, per the NIDDK. Pelvic floor physical therapy can also help to strengthen the muscles involved in bladder control, Rawlins says.
If you’re struggling with urinary incontinence, Huang recommends taking a careful look at the medications they’re using for other health problems, or asking your doctor about them. “Some of these may be contributing to or worsening their bladder problems,” Huang says.
She also suggests lowering the amount of coffee, tea, and other caffeinated drinks you have, given that these can make you need to pee more.
Ultimately, if you’re struggling with urinary incontinence, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. They can talk you through treatment options or refer you to a specialist who can help.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
