Urinary incontinence can occur 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 can be controlled by taking regular yoga classes.
That’s the main point of a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine. The study’s researchers point out that this can be done by almost anyone, making incontinence treatment more accessible.
But why might yoga help with incontinence and should you start doing it now? Here’s the deal.
Meet the experts: Alison Huang, MD, professor of medicine, urology, and epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco. Ashley Rawlins, PT, DPT, pelvic floor physical therapist at Origin. G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, chief medical officer 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 regular yoga classes. At the other time, 119 women with urinary incontinence went to a gym class (this was designed to be a control group).
Women in the yoga group learned 16 hatha yoga poses designed to strengthen the pelvic floor and completed two 90-minute sessions per 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 per week of non-specific stretching and strength training. They were also asked to exercise an extra hour a week.
The researchers found that after 12 weeks, people in the yoga program had about 65 percent less urinary incontinence. But women in the control group had similar benefits, with researchers noting that these results were on par with taking medication for the condition.
Can Yoga Treat Incontinence?
Possibly. However, the researchers also found that an exercise program also reduced the frequency of incontinence.
“For many women, especially older women, urinary incontinence is not caused by an isolated problem in the bladder or urinary tract. Instead, multiple changes in women’s physical and mental functioning can lead to or worsen bladder control problems,” says lead study author Alison Huang, MD, professor of medicine, urology, and epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco. Women’s health. These reasons can include weakness in the pelvic floor that supports the bladder, a decline in overall physical condition, and overlapping stress and anxiety.
“There is good reason to think that pelvic floor yoga, which can simultaneously address all of these factors, could be beneficial for women with urinary incontinence—that is, if yoga is taught and practiced properly,” says Huang.
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 very beneficial for pelvic floor health because it promotes pelvic floor muscle strength, flexibility, coordination and body awareness, which are very important to 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 increasing the challenge of impact, as is the case with other exercises like walking, running or HIIT.”
Should I start yoga for incontinence?
Huang says doing any type of low-impact exercise can be helpful. “Some people may feel that the study provides good evidence to recommend this type of yoga for women with urinary incontinence,” she says. “Other people might argue that many of the potential benefits of yoga for incontinence could be shared with other forms of low-impact, muscle-strengthening exercise.”
But adopting a yoga routine can’t hurt. “There are definitely some yoga-specific exercises that pelvic floor therapists teach patients that are helpful,” says G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, lead nurse practitioner at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. “I would never dissuade 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 medication, getting Botox injections and even surgery can help, according to the NIDDK. Pelvic floor therapy can also help strengthen the muscles involved in bladder control, says Rawlins.
If you’re struggling with urinary incontinence, Huang recommends looking carefully at the medications they use for other health problems or asking your doctor about them. “Some of these could contribute to or worsen their bladder problems,” says Huang.
She also suggests reducing the amount of coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages you have, given that they can make you need to pee more.
Finally, if you’re struggling with incontinence, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. They can discuss treatment options with you 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 development, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamor and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and a taco truck one day.
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