Stress Urinary Incontinence in Runners: Expert Guidance with Dr. Juliet McGrattan & Emma Brockwell cover art

Stress Urinary Incontinence in Runners: Expert Guidance with Dr. Juliet McGrattan & Emma Brockwell

Stress Urinary Incontinence in Runners: Expert Guidance with Dr. Juliet McGrattan & Emma Brockwell

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 In this empowering episode of the Active Health Podcast, host Dr. Juliet McGrattan sits down with renowned women’s health physiotherapist Emma Brockwell to tackle a topic that affects millions of active women but is too often overlooked: Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) in runners. Whether you’re a dedicated marathoner, a casual jogger, or returning to running after childbirth, this conversation offers essential guidance on understanding, managing, and overcoming SUI. Juliet and Emma dive deep into why urinary leakage happens during running, the biomechanics of the pelvic floor, postpartum recovery, training modifications, myth-busting, and the latest evidence-based approaches to support women in running confidently—without embarrassment or fear of leakage. You’ll learn:
  • What causes stress urinary incontinence in runners
  • How pregnancy, postpartum recovery, hormones, and training load impact the pelvic floor
  • Key warning signs runners shouldn’t ignore
  • Pelvic floor rehabilitation techniques that actually work
  • How to safely return to running after childbirth
  • Practical strategies to prevent leakage before and during workouts
  • When to seek professional help—and what treatment options exist
This episode is a must-listen for female runners, coaches, running clinicians, and anyone supporting women’s health in sport. Juliet and Emma combine expert insight with clear, compassionate guidance to help runners feel stronger, more confident, and fully informed. Perfect for those searching for topics such as women’s running health, pelvic floor dysfunction, SUI in sport, postpartum running, leak-proof running tips, and women’s physiotherapy expertise.

🎧 SEO Keywords Stress urinary incontinence in runners, SUI in running, women’s running health, pelvic floor health, pelvic floor exercises, postpartum running, running after childbirth, female runners leakage, women’s health physiotherapy, Emma Brockwell interview, Juliet McGrattan podcast, Active Health podcast, running and pelvic floor, manage urinary leakage running, continence and exercise.

Did you know that one in three women leak urine when they cough, sneeze, jump or run? That’s a huge figure and our guest thinks it’s an underestimate too. Pelvic health physiotherapist Emma Brockwell joins Dr. Juliet McGrattan to talk about stress urinary incontinence. Emma is a leading expert in women’s pelvic health with national and international influence. She’s passionate about raising awareness, educating and encouraging women to prioritize their pelvic health. We learn who is most likely to be affected by stress incontinence, why every woman needs to take action, and what to expect when you go and see a women’s health physio. Emma drills down into what’s known about running technique and leaky bladders as well as which exercises are beneficial for runners with stress incontinence. You’ll most definitely find yourself squeezing your pelvic floor muscles while you listen and there’s lots of tips on how to do it correctly. The take home message is that all women need to get familiar with, and strengthen their pelvic floor and if you’re leaking – get an expert assessment.

Host: Dr. Juliet McGrattan
Recorded: December 17, 2021

Active Health is part of the Women Unscripted network (formerly WiSP Sports) founded in 2012 by Chris Stafford, which has more than 1700 episodes from around the world of women’s sport and the arts. We have covered every sport and all the issues around women in sport. We have interviewed hundreds of athletes and several of them have hosted our shows over the years. Subscribe and download Women Unscripted for free access to our extensive archive library.
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