Incontinence is the involuntary passing of urine, gas, or stool, often associated with sneezing, laughing, exercise, or the inability to make it to the bathroom in time. Whether you completely pee your pants or just leak a few drops while laughing with a full bladder, any amount of leaking is considered incontinence.

Stress incontinence (SUI) or urge incontinence (UUI) are both involuntary losses of urine. In the case of SUI, this can occur with activity like coughing, sneezing, or jumping. UUI occurs when an urge to pee occurs and you leak before making it to the bathroom. If you experience both SUI and UUI , it is called mixed incontinence. Fecal incontinence is related to involuntary loss of stool.

Symptoms can range from leaking drops to complete bladder emptying. Once a person experiences incontinence, this can cause them to use the bathroom much more frequently in order to avoid future accidents. Over time this can lead to changes in your voiding strategies and habits that can further impact your quality of life.

Incontinence can occur following events like surgery, weight gain or childbirth. While many factors can be involved, incontinence is most commonly related to pelvic floor dysfunction. It can be a coordination issue, meaning your body is unable to time a contraction correctly, or a strength issue, meaning you don't have the muscle ability to prevent or delay voiding.

In pregnancy, increased weight gain makes the ability to contract your pelvic floor muscles quickly or with adequate strength more challenging. At the same time, your growing baby puts pressure on your bladder, which increases your body's urge to pee. During a vaginal birth, the pelvic floor muscles can experience trauma that will increase incontinence postpartum.

Working with a physical therapist who specializes in treating the pelvic floor has been proven effective in reducing and curing incontinence. Those who attend regular physical therapy sessions can see results within weeks to months, depending on the cause, type and severity of their incontinence, as well as the person's individual goals, like return to running.