Even the most dedicated trampoline users have experienced needing to pee whilst bouncing. Although this is not uncommon, it doesn’t take away the embarrassment of it. It is important that these leaks of urine, no matter how small, are not ignored or laughed off. Leaking whilst bouncing is more common in women but can affect men in much the same way.
Jumping on a trampoline is great fun but not if you are going to pee yourself every time you bounce. There is a simple reason why this does happen, and it is down to pelvic floor muscles and them not being strong enough.
Pelvic floor muscles (known as Kegel muscles) can be strengthened to help prevent the problem of peeing whilst bouncing on a trampoline.
Related Reading: Why Do I Get a Headache When I Jump on the Trampoline?
Is It Just a Full Bladder?
There could be a very simple reason why a leak occurs when you are bouncing. A full bladder will make it more likely for a leak to occur. When we jump, our body weight goes up, and then gravity pulls us back down. Our body weight is forced onto our pelvic floor muscles on every bounce.
The higher the bounce, the more stress is placed on these muscles. Doing this with a full bladder adds weight to this and leads to some of the bladder contents leaking or being forced out. Try drinking less in the time leading up to the exercise or go to the toilet before you start bouncing.
This could be the answer to your problem and end the embarrassment.
Recognising That There Is an Problem
It will be obvious when and how this embarrassing issue occurs, but it is surprisingly overlooked. Slowing down the amount of exercise initially can be a good idea whilst you combat the issue. Stopping completely is ill-advised but simply reducing the amount of time and the intensity of bouncing can go a long way in helping solve the problem.
Placing your pelvic floor muscles under less stress whilst you strengthen them is a good idea and will mean they will respond more quickly.
Knowing Your Pelvic Floor Muscles
Before these muscles can be strengthened, you need to know where they are. The best way to find them is whilst you are using the toilet.
Stop peeing mid-flow and this will tell you where these muscles are. You will feel them at this point but do not make a habit of doing this as you can cause yourself some nasty bladder problems by stopping and starting your pee whilst on the toilet.
How to Strengthen Them
Imagine you are sitting on a small ball (marble-sized) and tightening your pelvic muscles as though you are going to pick it up. The trick here is to breathe in a relaxed, normal way and to focus on not flexing muscles in your buttocks and thighs.
Make this kind of exercise a part of your normal routine and you will see results. Completing 3 sets of 10 reps a day is what you need to aim to achieve. This type of exercise can be performed in different positions, but most people prefer to do this whilst laying down as it is more comfortable.
Other Precautions
Whilst you are in the early stages of Kegel muscle strengthening, you can still bounce on a trampoline. A short-term solution to stop the visible leaking is to wear a panty liner. This doesn’t solve the problem of peeing but does stop other people from knowing it has happened.
It also gives you the confidence to keep using the trampoline, especially if this is a key part of family life. Obviously, preventing the issue is far better than simply masking it, but panty liners or absorbent underwear are discreet and comfortable to wear.
Help Is at Hand
Remember, this is not uncommon amongst women. If you are struggling to strengthen your muscles on your own, seek advice from an expert. A doctor or health care professional will be able to advise on how to exercise more efficiently or may help with other techniques.
A private physiotherapist would also be able to assess and advise you on what to do in terms of strengthening your pelvic muscles and could also be accessed quicker than a doctor.
Lifestyle Changes
Peeing whilst jumping is linked to lifestyle. For example, smokers are found to put more strain on their pelvic muscles due to the increased amount of coughing they experience. This weakens the muscles and increases the likelihood of incontinence. Stopping smoking not only helps with this but also has a hugely positive impact on a person’s health generally.
Larger, more overweight people are also more likely to experience incontinence whilst bouncing due to the increased stress being placed on their abdomens. This is a bit of a rock and a hard place scenario because bouncing on a trampoline is a fun form of exercise which helps people lose weight. However, excessive bouncing causes pee to leak. Reducing the amount of bouncing and exercising in other ways is the best solution here.
Related Reading: Will Jumping on a Trampoline Induce Labor? [FIND OUT!]
Is It More Serious?
Your body is a clever thing, and it is important not to ignore potential distress signals. Peeing whilst bouncing could be an indicator or a more serious health issue. Your bladder or urethra may have dropped from their natural positions which results in peeing whilst jumping. This is corrected by raising the bladder neck and then applying stitches to act as support for your bladder or urethra.
The health benefits of any exercise are great and should be encouraged as much as possible. Bouncing on a trampoline is a fun, energetic way to exercise and spend time together as a family. Letting a urine leak spoil your fun should not be an option and is one that can be easily rectified.
Doing something about the problem is key rather than being tempted to just laugh it off and not bounce anymore.
