Samantha Bowley, now 58, experienced embarrassing bladder leaks for years, a condition that began after the birth of her third child at age 36. The leaks, triggered by activities like exercise, coughing, or sneezing, led to self-consciousness, social anxiety, and avoidance of activities she once enjoyed, including going to the gym.
Describing her experience, Bowley stated she was "constantly worried about whether I'd make it to the bathroom in time" and felt "incredibly self-conscious, always thinking people might notice – or worse, smell urine." The condition significantly impacted her confidence and led to feelings of isolation. Like an estimated one in three women in the UK, she was dealing with urinary incontinence, characterized by a sudden urge to urinate and potential leakage before reaching a toilet.
The turning point for Bowley came earlier this year when she discovered a wearable pelvic floor trainer called SomaFlex. This £60 device, made from medical-grade silicone, is inserted vaginally and designed to apply gentle internal pressure, encouraging users to engage and train their pelvic floor muscles during daily activities. "I started using the trainer in late January and within a couple of weeks I noticed a significant improvement," Bowley reported. "The results felt life-changing."
Urinary incontinence is often caused by weakened pelvic floor muscles, which support the bladder and urethra. This weakening can occur due to pregnancy, childbirth, and hormonal changes, particularly during menopause, which can also thin tissues around the urethra.
While pads can absorb leaks, they do not address the underlying cause. Experts generally recommend pelvic floor muscle training as a first step to improve bladder control. Lifestyle changes, such as weight management and reducing caffeine or alcohol intake, can also be beneficial. For post-menopausal women, local estrogen therapy may help but is typically used in conjunction with other treatments.
Pelvic floor trainers, including Kegel weights, aim to strengthen and improve the coordination of these muscles. Although devices like SomaFlex can aid in muscle awareness, their effectiveness compared to standard pelvic floor exercises or other treatments currently has limited high-quality clinical evidence. Pelvic health physiotherapists emphasize that such devices are most effective as part of a personalized, supervised training program that includes professional assessment and guidance.
For Bowley, the SomaFlex trainer allowed her to regain control and stop relying on incontinence pads, which she previously spent up to £20 per week on. She has since returned to the gym, engaging in weight training, squats, and yoga classes without fear. "Most importantly, I've got my freedom back," she stated. "I can travel, socialise and go about my day without constantly planning around my bladder. It's given me a new lease of life."
Bowley's message to other women is that bladder leaks are not an inevitable part of aging and that effective treatments are available. She encourages others not to be embarrassed to seek help, emphasizing, "you don't have to live with it."