Poor posture affects more than just our neck and shoulders. “Slouching increases abdominal pressure, which puts pressure on the bladder,” physical therapist Meghan Markowski told Harvard Health Publishing. “The position also decreases the ability of the pelvic floor muscles to hold against that pressure.” As a result, some people may experience involuntary urinary leakage, otherwise known as stress urinary incontinence.
Affecting nearly 16% of women, stress urinary incontinence often strikes following any bodily actions that place added pressure on the intraabdominal muscles, such as sneezing, coughing, laughing, or exercising (via StatPearls). Treatment for the condition may involve bladder retraining, Kegel exercises, surgery, or the use of certain medications. Patients may also be advised to steer clear of spicy foods, citrus, or chocolate. This is also true for beverages known to aggravate the bladder, such as tea, coffee, or alcohol. To reduce the risk of stress incontinence, here’s how we can protect our pelvic floor muscles by maintaining good posture.