Key Takeaways:
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It isn’t just beginners. Even trained athletes deal with leaks caused by stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Studies show that up to 44% of female runners experience urinary leakage.
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Leaking pee when you run, also called “runner’s bladder,” isn’t uncommon. In fact, 1 in 3 women experience SUI at some point in their lives.
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There are non-surgical treatment options for treating bladder leaks when you run, such as relaxing your pelvic floor, peeing right before you run, and timing your fluid intake.
Do you ever leak urine while running?
If so, you may be experiencing stress urinary incontinence. And it’s not uncommon. In a study of 112 elite female athletes, nearly 46% reported leaking while running or jumping. In other words, they had SUI.
While SUI can interrupt your workouts and other aspects of your life, many treatment options are available to help manage your symptoms. Keep reading to learn why you pee when you run and 10 tips to stop your bladder leaks.
Why You Pee When Running
To prevent the problem of peeing while running, we need to understand why leaks happen in the first place.
Your bladder holds urine and contracts to push the urine out of your urethra. Your urinary sphincter stops your urine from coming out and helps the bladder empty when you need to void, almost like a door.
When you urinate, that same urinary sphincter relaxes to let urine flow out.
“With every foot strike, repeated pressure occurs through the abdomen and pelvic floor. That pressure transmits to the bladder,” says Aleece Fosnight, MSPAS, PA-C, CSC, CSE, IF, MSCP, HAES. “If the pelvic floor muscles and connective tissues aren’t able to counterbalance that force, urine can leak.”
Is It Normal to Pee When You Run?
Peeing when you run is common, especially during high-impact activities like running. It can happen to anyone at any age; however, women are twice as likely to experience bladder leaks as men.
It’s also common if you’re recently postpartum. Research shows that about 26% of women experience urinary incontinence after childbirth.
Fosnight states that “pregnancy and delivery impact the pelvic floor muscle strength, connective tissue support, and nerve signaling. These changes increase the risk of urinary stress incontinence during the postpartum period.”
Check your coverage for $0 incontinence products now!
Stress Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is defined as a loss of bladder control (continence).
Stress incontinence is a type of urinary incontinence that can occur when your pelvic floor muscles, urethra, or urethral sphincter lose strength. When these parts of your urinary system aren’t strong enough to hold in urine, it can cause leakage.
Usually, leaks happen when you put extra pressure on your pelvic floor muscles or bladder during certain physical activities, such as running, jumping, HIIT workouts, or lifting heavy objects. You may also experience leaks when sneezing or coughing.
While these movements don’t directly cause leakage, bladder leaks can happen if your pelvic floor muscles can’t adapt to the increased pressure.
About 1 in 3 women experience SUI at some point throughout their lives. Some of the most common reasons include:
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Pregnancy or giving birth
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Nerve injury
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Pelvic surgery
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Hormone changes during menstruation
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Hormone changes during menopause
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Loss of urethral closure pressure with aging
Other types of incontinence women can experience include overactive bladder (OAB), urge incontinence, and overflow incontinence.
10 Tips to Stop Peeing While Running
Incontinence when running can happen. Don’t let your leakage keep you from your morning run or the other physical activities you love.
1. Hydrate Earlier, Not Right Before Running
Drinking enough water before you run helps ensure your urinary system stays healthy. You should drink as much water as your body needs throughout the day, or whenever you feel thirsty. Just be careful not to drink too much water right before going for a run, as it may increase your urge to urinate.
Try This: Stay hydrated throughout the day, but taper your intake about an hour before your run.
2. Pee Before You Run
Preparing your body before a run can make a big difference. Use the restroom before running. Planning ahead can reduce unexpected leaks during your jog on the treadmill or training for an upcoming 5K.
Try This: If you’re going out for a longer run, make sure you know where the toilets are, and don’t delay using the restroom when you need to go.
3. Relax Your Pelvic Floor
Learning how to relax tight pelvic floor muscles is one of the many ways you can reduce sudden leakage while running. You can start relaxing these muscles by breathing with your whole diaphragm.
Try This: Try diaphragmatic breathing (belly breathing) by lying flat on your back, putting your hand on your stomach, and taking deep, slow breaths.
4. Use Incontinence Products
It may feel embarrassing when you first start looking into using incontinence products, but bladder control pads for runners, adult briefs, or adult pull-ons can be a great way to wipe out anxiety about mid-run leaks.
Fill out our secure qualify form to see if you’re covered for $0 supplies like pads from Aeroflow Urology. We’ll ship your discreet, comfortable, medical-grade supplies for free, so your leaks don’t slow you down during runs.
Try This: Test out different products during shorter runs to find what feels most comfortable to you.
Leaking urine when running? See if you're covered for $0 bladder control pads now!
5. Practice Your Breathing
You may not realize it, but the way you breathe while running can affect your pelvic floor. When you breathe in, those muscles relax and move down. When you breathe out, they gently lift back up.
Use this to your advantage when running gets tough. Try breathing out during harder moments (like going uphill), and lightly tightening those pelvic muscles at the same time to give your body extra support. Then, when you breathe in, let those muscles relax so they don’t get tired.
Try This: Practice exhaling during higher-effort moments and gently engaging your pelvic floor as you do. Also, try to keep your breathing steady.
6. Watch Your Running Form
Every long-time runner knows form can affect your performance, and it’s no different when it comes to your pelvic floor muscles. Proper running form can help lessen the impact and pressure on your bladder when you run, reducing the risk of leaks.
Try This: Keep a slight forward lean, maintain an upright posture, and avoid heavy heel striking to reduce downward pressure.
7. Gradually Build Your Mileage
At least 50% of regular runners get hurt every year, often from overuse.
If you’re forcing yourself to run even when you’re completely exhausted, you may be experiencing muscular fatigue. Running too much, too quickly, can lead to injuries like shin splints.
Try This: Slowly increase the speed and length of your runs over time. If you’re new to running, speak to your doctor about a routine that works best for you.
8. Start Bladder Training
Bladder training involves peeing on a set schedule to increase the time between restroom visits. It can help improve your SUI symptoms by increasing the amount of time your body can hold urine.
Try This: Start by waiting 5 extra minutes after you feel the urge to go, then slowly increase that time. It may be uncomfortable at first, but eventually, you may make fewer bathroom trips.
9. Try Kegels & Other Lower-Impact Exercises
If you’re cleared to perform lower-impact exercises, incorporating pelvic floor exercises is one of the best ways you can reduce leaks.
Activities like Kegel exercises, hip bridges, or squats can help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
Try This: Start with short sets of Kegels, such as 10 per day. To do them, hold for a few seconds, then release. See a pelvic floor physical therapist for extra guidance.
10. Talk to Your Doctor
It’s been reported that 56% of women who experienced incontinence didn’t speak to their healthcare providers out of shame or embarrassment. SUI is common among women, but it isn’t always normal.
Try This: Make a plan to visit with your healthcare provider. They can help you ease symptoms and help you regain your pelvic floor strength.
How to Get $0 Bladder Control Pads
If you’re ready to get back to your regular workouts without interruptions from leakage, Aeroflow Urology can help. We ship incontinence supplies, such as pads and adult underwear, at no cost through Medicaid and insurance.
To see if you’re covered for bladder control products, fill out our quick, secure qualify form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best pads for incontinence while running?
The best pads are made for movement and fit your body. Women’s pads and men’s guards are designed differently, so choose one that feels secure and comfortable. You may qualify for $0 bladder pads from brands like Attends or Prevail through Aeroflow Urology.
Is it common for runners to pee themselves?
Yes, it can be common to leak urine while running, especially during high-impact activities like running.
What is runner’s bladder?
Runner’s bladder is a term for leaking urine or feeling a strong urge to pee while running, usually due to pressure on the bladder during movement.
Are athletes more likely to pee when they run?
Yes, high-impact athletes have a higher prevalence of urinary incontinence than non-athletes. Female athletes also tend to have more severe urinary incontinence symptoms than males.
Do women experience more bladder leaks when running than men?
Yes, according to Yale Medicine, women are twice as likely as men to experience bladder leaks.
When can you start running postpartum?
When you can start running after giving birth depends on when your OB/GYN clears you for high-impact exercise. Your tissue needs to fully heal to avoid injury, so it’s important to follow your doctor’s recommendations.
Is it normal to pee blood after running?
You may pee blood (exercise-induced hematuria) after an intense or long-distance run. It can happen because of repeated impact from running, dehydration, or point to more serious conditions such as kidney stones or an infection. Visit your doctor if you notice blood in your urine.
About the Author
Tiff Perritt is the Content Writer at Aeroflow Urology. She writes with clarity and compassion on topics surrounding incontinence, aiming to help patients feel informed and supported. Driven by a strong interest in health equity, she supports efforts that promote education and access to incontinence care for underserved communities.
She earned her Bachelor's degree in Technical Communications from University of Houston - Downtown and her Associate's degree in English from Lee College. Her work has been featured by leading healthcare colleges and respected healthcare organizations across the country.
Outside of work, she loves to hike across the Texas landscape, try out new baking recipes, and spend time with her family.
Aleece Fosnight
Aleece Fosnight, MSPAS, PA-C, CSC-S, CSE, NCMP, IF, HAES is a board-certified physician assistant specializing in sexual medicine, women’s health, and urology.
In 2019, Fosnight opened up her own private practice, the Fosnight Center for Sexual Health, and implemented the sexual health grand rounds curriculum at her local hospital and residency program.
Fosnight is also the founder of the Fosnight Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and training of professionals in the sexual health field and providing funding for access to healthcare services in her local community.
Disclaimer
Dai, S., Chen, H., & Luo, T. (2023). Prevalence and factors of urinary incontinence among postpartum: Systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 23, Article 761.
Pires, T., Pires, P., Moreira, H., & Viana, R. (2020). Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence in High-Impact Sport Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of human kinetics, 73, 279–288.
Urology Care Foundation. (n.d.). Stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
Yale Medicine. (n.d.). Running Injuries.
Yale Medicine. (n.d.). Urinary incontinence in women.
Disclaimer
Information provided on the Aeroflow Urology blog is not intended as a substitute for medical advice or care from a healthcare professional. Aeroflow recommends consulting your healthcare provider if you are experiencing medical issues relating to incontinence.
