It’s been an exceptional summer of sport, but for many women, it’s one they’re only watching from the sidelines due to an incredibly common health issue.
New research from TENA found that seven in 10 women have left sport due to bladder leaks, with the average age for women quitting sport altogether being just 37 years old. It’s a finding that shows how female health is such a pressing issue for women’s participation in sport, following 2023 findings from Nuffield Health that 84% of girls lose interest in sport following their first period.
For mothers, however, TENA’s findings won’t come as a surprise. Women’s health advocate and writer Em Clarkson is one such mother, having suffered with pelvic floor dysfunction herself after birth.
‘When I was pregnant with my second, I had Hyperemesis Gravidarum [severe morning sickness] and, let me tell you, I weed myself every time I vomited,’ she reveals. ‘It’s often the case that we just accept leaking as part of motherhood, but it’s not something we have to put up with. It’s more than inconvenient; it can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. It really represents a failing in women’s healthcare, particularly postpartum.’
Em's pelvic floor problems weren’t limited to leaking. ‘I’d been told that after pregnancy and birth, my pelvic floor would be shot, but I thought that would only manifest as bladder leaks – I didn’t anticipate that pain would also be a part of this, so I was really surprised after I had my first daughter to be experiencing pelvic floor pain.’
She attributes that shock to a lack of conversation around postpartum pelvic health. ‘When I tried to discover the cause, I feel like I had to prise the information out of the world around me because it’s not been easy to find,’ she says. ‘I had to actively go and ask a physio why I had pain in my hip during every period, and she told me it was from having a tight pelvic floor – that elusive body part no one talks about but is hugely important to our quality of life.’
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In fact, as part of her campaign with TENA, Em went out on the street asking women if they could show her where their pelvic floor muscle was. The resounding reply? No.
Why are women giving up sport because of leaking?
It’s not just a lack of understanding which is the issue. According to TENA’s research, the decision to quit sport is driven by feelings of embarrassment (67%), self-consciousness (58%) and shame (36%).
‘That 67% of women cite embarrassment around the issue doesn’t surprise me at all, because even though it’s a normal, inevitable symptom after childbirth, it can be seen as “embarrassing”,’ says Em. ‘Even the physio appointments to help treat it are pretty unusual, in that you go in, take your pants off, and have someone put their fingers inside your vagina to treat this muscle most people haven’t even heard of. You can see why people might be self-conscious.’
Again, a lack of confidence is only one more piece in the complex puzzle of reasons why incontinence is keeping women out of sport. ‘It’s also cost,’ says Em, explaining that paying to see a physio privately isn’t an option for everyone financially. Meanwhile, NHS waitlists for pelvic floor physiotherapy appointments are long, and interim support isn’t always forthcoming. ‘There is so much help that could be and should be available to women from the off. I’m only where I am now because I sought help myself.’
‘I remember asking the consultant at my six-week post-birth appointment, “Can I exercise now?” because I was so desperate to go running,’ recalls Em. ‘He told me no, it was going to be 12 weeks. But when I asked if I could run at 12 weeks, his reply was “I wouldn’t have thought so” because of my weak pelvic floor.
‘Eventually, I restarted running 17 weeks after my first baby was born, following some pelvic floor rehab, and then went on to run the London Marathon when she was 14 months old. But if I hadn’t gone to see a physio and had that support, I wouldn’t be able to run at all now, and that’s a huge part of who I am that I would have lost.’
However, Em says resignation is rife when it comes to leaking, with many women feeling forced to accept their sporting careers are over rather than merely on hold. ‘I always thought sport was something people would come back to eventually, especially since I’m such an advocate for exercising for your mental health. The fact that so many women give it up? I find it very disheartening, the finality of it.’
To highlight this dropout rate, TENA installed 10 suspended rugby shirts between the posts at Sale FC’s stadium, home of Sale Sharks Women, with seven left blank to represent players who have left sport due to bladder leaks. The result was a stark visual reminder of how the issue is affecting women’s sport right now, and the wider impact it’s having on women’s wellbeing.
‘We’ve got one in three people experiencing bladder leaks, and what makes me sad is that it’s always treated as an inevitability,’ says Em. ‘That’s just life, from now on you’ll just watch sport from the sidelines rather than play it yourself.
‘But what I wish people knew is that it’s never too late. You can get help at any point. It might not be a complete fix – you might not be winning a trampolining contest anytime soon – but you don’t have to accept where you are. There’s always something you can do to improve your leaking. This doesn’t have to be the end.’
How to get help if you suffer with bladder leaks
- Start by speaking to your GP. The NHS recommends making an appointment as a first step to discuss your leaking, after which you may be referred for tests or more specialised treatment.
- Try doing daily pelvic floor exercises, better known as Kegels. These help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which can improve symptoms.
- Check out TENA Women’s broadcast channel, which features exclusive tips from women’s health ambassadors, alongside a range of educational resources designed to help women stay active, strong and leak-free.
Georgie Lane-Godfrey (she/her) is Features Director at Women's Health UK, where she focuses on bringing you longer reads that explore the intersection between wellness and women’s lifestyle. With 15 years of experience, Georgie has been published in titles such as Stylist, Glamour, Evening Standard and Marie Claire. Passionate about women’s health and wellness, she’s also a Level 3 qualified PT.
Find her on Instagram @Georgie Lane-Godfrey
