Physically Fit and Incontinent: Sandra's Story
Physically Fit and Incontinent: Sandra's Story
Sandra is a physically active, 34-year-old mother of two who exudes self-confidence. She loves jogging, playing tennis, and enjoys all water sports. Sailboat racing is a particular passion for Sandra and her husband. In fact, that's how they met!
So when she developed incontinence, it came as quite a shock since she considered herself young and healthy. She thought incontinence was a condition that only affected the elderly.
Sandra worried that something far more serious was going on with her body. She gave up sailing and put a halt to her on-the-go lifestyle. And she scheduled a doctor's appointment to discuss her fears and concerns.
Relief and reassurance
Sandra quickly regained her self-confidence once her doctor shared the facts. She learned that one in three women ages 30 to 59 has experienced urinary incontinence. Her doctor assured her that it was actually very common for women who have had children to develop stress incontinence.
Armed with the facts and ready to take on the challenge, Sandra embraced her doctor's suggestion of a three-part approach to help manage her incontinence.
- Kegel exercises. Pregnancy, childbirth, obesity, regular heavy lifting, and a chronic cough can all weaken the pelvic floor, causing loss of bladder control. Sandra had twice given birth, and her doctor recommended she perform Kegels to strengthen her weakened pelvic floor muscles.
- Biofeedback. To increase her chances for success, Sandra's doctor recommended a biofeedback program to help Sandra learn to control her pelvic floor area and improve muscle strength.
- Absorbent products. Sandra's doctor suggested she wear absorbent products made for urinary incontinence. They would help Sandra remain active and continue to race sailboats.
Sailing right along!
Exercise and training are two things Sandra does well, so she was equally enthusiastic and diligent with her pelvic muscle exercises. Doing so has allowed her to stay active, whether that means running after her two children, jogging the neighborhood park, or racing sailboats with her hubby.
Sandra is proof there's no reason to give up an active lifestyle because of incontinence. Keeping physical activity part of her daily routine has meant preventing incontinence from slowing her down for smooth sailing ahead!
A healthy lifestyle can help improve incontinence – learn more in this video.
