How long does pelvic floor physiotherapy take to work for stress urinary incontinence?

Stress urinary incontinence happens when pressure from coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting or exercise exceeds the support around the bladder outlet. Therapy teaches the pelvic floor muscles to contract with the right timing and to relax between efforts. Strength, endurance and coordination develop through repeated practice.

A therapist may also consider breathing, posture, movement patterns, constipation, pregnancy or childbirth history, and activity level. Leakage may improve before it disappears, and progress can vary between quiet activities and high-impact movement.

Follow the exercise plan exactly as taught, including the release phase. Practise the contraction before a cough or lift when your therapist recommends it, and avoid squeezing continuously throughout the day. Keep a simple record of triggers and leaks so the programme can be adjusted.

Do not train through pelvic pain or increasing urgency. A review can identify whether you are holding your breath, bearing down or using the wrong muscles, all of which can reduce the benefit.

Book a review if leakage is worsening, you develop difficulty emptying your bladder, or urine symptoms are accompanied by burning, fever, blood or new pelvic pain. Urgent assessment is needed if you cannot pass urine or have severe pain.

Ask how to test the contraction, when to progress the exercises, and what alternatives are available if leakage remains troublesome during sport, work or intimacy.