'I suffered from incontinence during exercise for 10 years – it was humiliating but now I finally have a solution’

Before Vicky Grubb welcomed her second child, she enjoyed a carefree life with her family. But after experiencing a traumatic birth, which impacted her bladder control, all of that changed.

The 46-year-old, from Hampshire, was left constantly worrying about leakage while taking part in her favourite sports and soon gave these up altogether.

Determined to find a solution, Vicky tried out many methods, from using thick pads to physiotherapy, with little-to-no success.

After 10 years of searching, she has finally discovered a way to get back to doing what she loves without having to worry about bladder issues.

It comes in the shape of a pelvic device from iMEDicare-Pelvic Health Naturally.

Vicky is sharing her story in the hopes that it will help erase the “embarrassing” stigma attached to incontinence.

“Incontinence is very distracting when you are doing any type of fitness activity,” said the upholstery teacher. “Instead of enjoying the sport, I was thinking about the embarrassment of potentially leaking.

“Once, I was having a private tennis lesson at a really busy court. Suddenly, I could feel a damp patch stretching down my legs.

“It’s something that everyone notices, especially when you’re wearing lighter clothing.

“I felt completely mortified and had to walk off the court. The experience put me off doing any exercise for a long time.”

Vicky, who has two children aged 15 and 13 [not named for privacy reasons], suffered a tear while giving birth to her youngest. She was forced to undergo a three-hour surgery to sew up the tear.

A few years later, the mum started suffering from pelvic floor issues, which were exacerbated during exercise.

At first, in a bid to stop any leaks, Vicky used thick sanitary and incontinence pads. But sometimes, these didn’t protect her from the embarrassment.

In lieu of tennis, Vicky tried running instead.

She said: “I tried running, as I would be on my own. If there were any accidents, I could try and fix it before anybody else noticed it.

“I tried dehydrating myself but the leakage took the enjoyment out of the exercise. Other runners wore tight lycra shorts but I had to hide away in black baggy clothes just in case something happened.”

In 2018, Vicky visited a specialist pelvic floor physiotherapist, costing £60 a session. She also tried a £75 online course doing pelvic floor muscle exercises to help strengthen these. But she longed for a permanent solution.

Then, Vicky tried out disposable pessaries – a vaginal device that can help with stress urinary incontinence – which cost £40 a week.

She had read about an ultra-athlete called Sophie Power using them.

Vicky said: “Until I read Sophie’s story, I used to think I was the only person suffering, as no one talks about wetting yourself, because it’s humiliating.

“The version I bought was only for one-time use and the cost was quickly racking up, so I tried out another brand, who gave me a contact in the UK, as they didn’t currently offer their product here."

Vicky was introduced to the online My Pelvic Health website, which offers a range of medical devices and products to manage incontinence.

While there, she decided to order Efemia. The reusable bladder support device comes in three sizes and can be used on the go, reducing any signs of urine leakage.

Vicky says the £50 product has been “life-changing” and has given her the confidence needed to get back out and exercise once again.

She said: “I put it in before a run and I don’t feel it at all. I couldn’t recommend it enough, as I finally have something that works for me.

“It’s such a brilliant product and when I mentioned it to my doctor, even she was intrigued by it. It’s definitely been a confidence booster and now I can wear lycra shorts when running like everyone else.

“There’s so many different things for women to worry about when doing sport, so it’s nice to have one less worry.”

While there are other products available, such as Lumana ActiveWear, a pair of leggings or gym shorts with a built-in washable incontinence pad, the mum is sticking with Efemia.

Clare Bourne, who has been a pelvic health physiotherapist for 12 years, says that incontinence is more common in women and can occur at any stage in life.

Although it’s more likely to prevail during pregnancy, postpartum and during menopause, due to significant changes in the body.

And it’s all down to pelvic floor dysfunction, which up to 80% of female athletes suffer from.

However, this number could be higher, as many women often don’t often report the issue.

She said: “Women are not small men and we need to ensure that support around them, as female sport grows, is there. It’s known to be common in Olympic weightlifters, volleyball, gymnastics and other sports including long-distance running.

“These sports often include repeatedly lifting significantly heavy weights or repetitive jumping and landing from a height. With these increased movements, symptoms can be experienced and reported more.”

Clare says there are other daily scenarios where pressure is put on the pelvic floor, causing incontinence, such as coughing, sneezing or laughing.

In her experience, she has dealt with women of all ages – from varying athletic stage to teenagers struggling in PE at school – and there’s a clear link between them all.

She added: “Women feel embarrassed, as incontinence impacts their confidence and emotional well-being. The majority also report that they were not aware there were solutions, as this hadn’t been discussed widely with them.

“Consider all the muscles around the pelvis, body position, breathwork and also working alongside personal trainers and coaches to bring pelvic health into all parts of training.

“It is normal and to be accepted – and symptoms don’t mean the end of your sporting career.”

Clare, while in favour of products such as Efemia and Lumana, also suggests having treatment alongside using these.

She says comprehensive pelvic floor rehabilitation, and of the surrounding muscles, as well as breathwork and education is a must.