Have you ever peed during a workout? You probably have, since it's completely normal, especially for women who have given birth.

Not often talked about and yet common among women, light bladder leakage (or officially, stress incontinence) is most common in women who engage in high-intensity workouts, particularly if they involve jumping.

Katia Pryce, founder of DanceBody, tells Well + Good:

"You’d be surprised how many times a day I talk about this. My workout is dance cardio; there’s a lot of jumping. I have some women who always wear patterned pants so if they pee, you can’t see it."

'Wow this workout is great for my legs, I'm sweating a lot!"

- Me, peeing myself during jumping jacks

— Sara (@ChickenCravings)

 

Pelvic floor dysfunction specialist Gail O’Neill, P.T. told SheKnows that stress incontinence occurs when the muscles that support the bladder and urethra are weakened.

"The sphincter is not able to prevent urine from flowing when pressure is placed on the abdomen, such as when you cough, laugh, lift something heavy or during certain forms of exercise such as running and CrossFit," she said.

The worst thing in the world is trying to get leggings back up after peeing during a work out

— Madison Oren ❁ (@madison_oren)

Luckily, there are a number of products on the market now to help women with light bladder leakage. Poise recently introduced a device similar to a tampon, while Thinx has released a new line of "pee-proof underwear."

There are also steps women can take to prevent leakage. For example, limiting caffeine intake before a workout can be very effective, as can working to strengthen the muscles surrounding the pelvic floor.

Of course, if anything feels abnormal or you find yourself urinating an inordinate amount during exercise, make sure to talk with your doctor.

H/t: Well + Good