25/05/2026
🏃🏼♀️Bladder leakage during running is common, affecting up to 44% of female runners. It was previously thought that this was due to “weak pelvic floor muscles” but oftentimes on assessment we’d find these patients have normal pelvic floor muscle strength, coordination and endurance. New research has now supported our assessments and has shown other factors are contributing to the bladder leakage.
Recent research conducted by and team compared female runners with and without stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and found:
• Pelvic floor strength was similar in both groups
• Trunk and leg muscle strength were also similar
• The key differences were in how the body absorbed impact while running
Runners with bladder leakage showed:
🔹 Less shock absorption at the ankle
🔹 More impact load transferred to the hips and pelvis
🔹 Reduced ability to absorb shock through the legs
Shock attenuation (absorption) refers to how effectively the body absorbs ground reaction forces. In other words, how well does the body ‘dampen’ the force from the foot before it stresses joints and tissues.
The researchers found those females who leak while running had lower energy absorption at the ankle, higher energy absorption at the hip and reduced shock attenuation at the tibia and femur while running. These findings suggest that incontinent runners exhibit inefficient energy absorption throughout the kinetic chain experiencing greater pelvic demands.
💡 Takeaway:
Bladder leakage in runners may be linked more to running mechanics and impact absorption than pelvic floor weakness alone. Addressing whole-body movement patterns, shock absorption, and running technique could play an important role in prevention and treatment.
Interested to learn more? We have a team of Women’s Health Physios and a Sports Podiatrist who collaborate on patients like this (yes, that can be in the same appointment!) to get to the root cause of your concerns.
Contact us on 03 5269 9635 or [email protected] ✨
