An expert has said you should avoid going to the toilet 'just in case' even if you want to make sure you don't need the loo during a long car journey or while out for a walk. A pelvic floor specialist has cautioned people against a 'safety wee' 'just in case', urging them to wait until they genuinely do need to go in order to keep their pelvic floor in tip-top shape.
Speaking with the Metro, pelvic health physiotherapist Tiffany Sequeira said 'just in case' wees can put a harmful strain on your bladder to empty before it's properly filled with urine. You could end up confusing all-important signals between your bladder and brain, ultimately resulting in uncomfortable issues with your pelvic floor.
Tiffany, who goes by the Instagram username Gynaegirl, said: "Generally, as the bladder fills, the stretch of urine pressing against the bladder wall creates signals to your brain that results in the following series of urges, eventually resulting in you making it to the toilet and passing urine."
She added: "Going on that first signal to pass urine – or even worse going when you don't feel the urge to pass urine 'just in case' – can result in a bladder signaling dysfunction. Over time your bladder becomes accustomed to passing urine at a lower capacity than normal resulting in a 'weak bladder', as some refer to."
A recent study from Intimna found that 44% of women have experienced weakened pelvic floor muscles, whilst over half 58% say that they release a little bit of urine when they laugh, sneeze, or carry something heavy.
