Leaking When You Laugh or Sneeze? Here’s What’s Really Going On

If you leak a little when you sneeze, cough, run, or laugh—you are not alone.

At Ivoryrose Physiotherapy, we see women every day who are dealing with urinary incontinence and didn’t realise it was treatable. It’s often dismissed as “normal” after kids or “just part of ageing.”
But the truth is: leaking urine is common, but it’s not normal.

Here’s what’s really going on with your pelvic floor muscles, and how we can help you take back control.

What Is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine. It may happen with coughing, sneezing, laughing, jumping, or even during regular day-to-day movement.

There are a few common types:

• Stress urinary incontinence: leaking with pressure (like jumping or sneezing)

• Urge incontinence: a sudden, intense need to urinate that’s hard to delay

• Mixed incontinence: a combination of both

What Causes Leaking in Women?

The most common cause of leaking urine in women is pelvic floor dysfunction. Your pelvic floor muscles support your bladder, uterus, and bowel—and when they aren’t functioning well, you lose control over your bladder.

Contributing factors include:

• Pregnancy and vaginal birth

• Perimenopause and hormonal changes

• Chronic constipation

• High-impact or improper exercise

• Pelvic organ prolapse

• Stress, tension, or poor breathing patterns

And importantly, you don’t need to have had a baby to experience pelvic floor issues.

Signs Your Pelvic Floor Needs Help

You may need a pelvic health assessment if you’re experiencing:

• Leaking urine when you sneeze, cough, or run

• A constant urge to pee, or not making it in time

• Heaviness or pressure in the pelvis

• Discomfort during sex

• Lower back or hip pain that doesn’t resolve with standard physio

How to Treat Leaking: Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy in Adelaide

The good news? You don’t have to just “put up with it.”
At Ivoryrose Physiotherapy, we offer individualised pelvic floor therapy that goes far beyond Kegels.

Here’s how we support you:

1. Comprehensive Pelvic Floor Assessment

This includes an internal (with consent) and external evaluation to understand what your muscles are doing—and what they need. Not every pelvic floor is weak; some are too tight, overactive, or poorly coordinated.

2. Personalised Treatment Plan

Based on your goals, symptoms, and body. This may include:

• Hands-on physiotherapy

• Breathing + postural training

• Pelvic floor coordination and control exercises

• Education and lifestyle guidance

3. Emsella

We also offer EMSella in Adelaide—an advanced, non-invasive treatment that strengthens pelvic floor muscles while you remain fully clothed. Great for busy mums or those needing additional muscle activation support.

You Deserve a Life Without Leaking

If you’ve been avoiding exercise, wearing pads “just in case,” or laughing with your legs crossed—it’s time to change that.

Urinary incontinence is treatable.
You don’t have to accept it. You don’t have to wait until it’s worse. And you’re never “too late” to improve.

Book a pelvic health appointment with our women’s physiotherapy team today.