Stress urinary incontinence is leakage of urine during activities that cause increase in abdominal pressure such as coughing, sneezing, running, jumping etc. During times of increased abdominal pressure the pelvic floor muscle should automatically contract around the urethra at the base of the bladder. The contraction needs to strong enough to withstand the added force down onto the bladder. If this does not happen effectively then urine will leak out of the bladder.

Causes of stress incontinence include:

• Weak or damaged pelvic floor due to trauma including pregnancy and childbirth in women, chronic respiratory conditions, straining on the toilet, obesity, ageing and/or heavy lifting
• Poorly coordinated pelvic floor
• Decreased oestrogen levels.