Help! I’m Leaking with Exercise
Have you ever been mid-workout, smashing your double unders, or pushing through a heavy lift when suddenly—you feel that little leak? I have, and so have millions of other women. We laugh about sweat patches and collapsing after a WOD, but leaking? That’s the one thing we’ve been told to keep quiet about.
But let’s be honest—sometimes it’s not just a “little leak.” It can be a damp patch, a gush, or that dreaded moment where you’re praying no one notices. And yet, the reality is this: you’re not broken, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to stop moving.
So, why do we leak during exercise?
The science calls it Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI). It happens when there’s an outlet closure problem—basically your pelvic floor and sphincter muscles can’t quite keep the seal shut when the pressure ramps up. That pressure comes from sneezing, coughing, laughing, running, box jumps, or lifting heavy.
It’s not a “weak bladder.” It’s a muscle and pressure problem—and like any other muscle issue, there are things you can do about it.
The numbers are bigger than you think
Here in Aotearoa:
-
37% of women experience urinary incontinence daily
-
That’s over 1.1 million people dealing with leaks
-
Māori wāhine: 47% prevalence
-
European women: 31%
-
Pasifika women: 29%
-
Women are 4x more likely than men to experience leaks
And the kicker? With age, the chances only go up.
It’s not just about muscles
While pelvic floor weakness is a big factor, there are other contributors too:
-
Constipation (yep, it adds pressure)
-
Prolapse
-
Bladder or urethral movement that makes control harder
Basically, anything that challenges your pelvic floor’s ability to hold strong under pressure can trigger a leak.
What can you do to stop the leaks?
Double Undies – your confidence armour
That’s why we created Double Undies: a world-first absorbent performance thong. Designed to capture leaks and sweat, it lets you train without compromise. Wear the bright shorts, smash the jumps, and stop worrying.
Pelvic Floor Training
It’s not woo-woo, it’s proven science. Studies show:
For optimal results, it’s best to see a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist who can guide you through the right exercises. But here’s what good pelvic floor activation looks like:
-
Feels like an inwards, upwards and forwards lift of the muscles into your pelvis
-
Breathe in → tummy rises, pelvic floor relaxed
-
Breathe out → tummy falls, squeeze and lift pelvic floor
-
Imagine: stopping wind, stopping urine, or holding in a tampon
-
To test: try stopping the flow of urine mid-stream (just don’t make this a regular habit!)
-
Most importantly: fully relax between each squeeze
And don’t forget—getting your bowel and bladder function working well makes a huge difference too.
Other Options
Pessaries: These little devices support the bladder position and reduce leakage. They’re fitted by a specialist provider like a pelvic health physiotherapist, nurse practitioner, or gynaecologist.
Surgery: A last resort, but available if needed when nothing else works.
But what if exercises don’t work?
If you’ve put in the effort (3–6 months) and things aren’t improving, it’s time to call in the experts: a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist.
A pelvic health physiotherapist is specifically trained in managing leakage related complaints. They would offer you a thorough and comprehensive assessment and provide advice on the most appropriate management strategy going forward. This may be strengthening or relaxing your pelvic floor muscles, in combination with other important educational and lifestyle advice. A pelvic health physiotherapist can also refer you on for specialist management if need be.
Where do I find a pelvic health physiotherapist?
-You can go direct to a pelvic health physiotherapist without going through your GP
-Look up pelvic health physiotherapy in your region for a local private provider
-Telehealth appointment with a pelvic health provider are a great option too!
-Some regions have funded services through the public system which you would access via your GP
The bottom line
Leaks don’t mean stop. They mean start—start talking about it, start training smarter, and when you need a confidence boost, slip on your Double Undies and get after it.
Because confidence doesn’t come from holding back—it comes from knowing you’ve got it covered
Credit and special thanks to Kimi Regan — Pelvic Health Physiotherapist — Nelson, Whakatuu, Aotearoa
Help! I’m Leaking with Exercise
Have you ever been mid-workout, smashing your double unders, or pushing through a heavy lift when suddenly—you feel that little leak? I have, and so have millions of other women. We laugh about sweat patches and collapsing after a WOD, but leaking? That’s the one thing we’ve been told to keep quiet about.
But let’s be honest—sometimes it’s not just a “little leak.” It can be a damp patch, a gush, or that dreaded moment where you’re praying no one notices. And yet, the reality is this: you’re not broken, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to stop moving.
So, why do we leak during exercise?
The science calls it Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI). It happens when there’s an outlet closure problem—basically your pelvic floor and sphincter muscles can’t quite keep the seal shut when the pressure ramps up. That pressure comes from sneezing, coughing, laughing, running, box jumps, or lifting heavy.
It’s not a “weak bladder.” It’s a muscle and pressure problem—and like any other muscle issue, there are things you can do about it.
The numbers are bigger than you think
Here in Aotearoa:
37% of women experience urinary incontinence daily
That’s over 1.1 million people dealing with leaks
Māori wāhine: 47% prevalence
European women: 31%
Pasifika women: 29%
Women are 4x more likely than men to experience leaks
And the kicker? With age, the chances only go up.
It’s not just about muscles
While pelvic floor weakness is a big factor, there are other contributors too:
Constipation (yep, it adds pressure)
Prolapse
Bladder or urethral movement that makes control harder
Basically, anything that challenges your pelvic floor’s ability to hold strong under pressure can trigger a leak.
What can you do to stop the leaks?
Double Undies – your confidence armour
That’s why we created Double Undies: a world-first absorbent performance thong. Designed to capture leaks and sweat, it lets you train without compromise. Wear the bright shorts, smash the jumps, and stop worrying.
Pelvic Floor Training
It’s not woo-woo, it’s proven science. Studies show:
70% of women improve with physiotherapy
56–84% can actually cure incontinence with pelvic floor training
For optimal results, it’s best to see a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist who can guide you through the right exercises. But here’s what good pelvic floor activation looks like:
Feels like an inwards, upwards and forwards lift of the muscles into your pelvis
Breathe in → tummy rises, pelvic floor relaxed
Breathe out → tummy falls, squeeze and lift pelvic floor
Imagine: stopping wind, stopping urine, or holding in a tampon
To test: try stopping the flow of urine mid-stream (just don’t make this a regular habit!)
Most importantly: fully relax between each squeeze
And don’t forget—getting your bowel and bladder function working well makes a huge difference too.
Other Options
Pessaries: These little devices support the bladder position and reduce leakage. They’re fitted by a specialist provider like a pelvic health physiotherapist, nurse practitioner, or gynaecologist.
Surgery: A last resort, but available if needed when nothing else works.
But what if exercises don’t work?
If you’ve put in the effort (3–6 months) and things aren’t improving, it’s time to call in the experts: a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist.
A pelvic health physiotherapist is specifically trained in managing leakage related complaints. They would offer you a thorough and comprehensive assessment and provide advice on the most appropriate management strategy going forward. This may be strengthening or relaxing your pelvic floor muscles, in combination with other important educational and lifestyle advice. A pelvic health physiotherapist can also refer you on for specialist management if need be.
Where do I find a pelvic health physiotherapist?
-You can go direct to a pelvic health physiotherapist without going through your GP
-Look up pelvic health physiotherapy in your region for a local private provider
-Telehealth appointment with a pelvic health provider are a great option too!
-Some regions have funded services through the public system which you would access via your GP
The bottom line
Leaks don’t mean stop. They mean start—start talking about it, start training smarter, and when you need a confidence boost, slip on your Double Undies and get after it.
Because confidence doesn’t come from holding back—it comes from knowing you’ve got it covered
Credit and special thanks to Kimi Regan — Pelvic Health Physiotherapist — Nelson, Whakatuu, Aotearoa