Rushing to the toilet, getting up at night, or feeling distracted by bladder or bowel pressure can all affect your balance and safety. These issues are common and treatable.
The sections below explain what you can do to reduce your risk of falls and improve your bladder and bowel control.
- Incontinence, urgency, and frequency explained
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Urgency: Sudden, hard-to-control need to go.
Frequency: Going “too often” in the daytime (more than 8x may signal a problem).
Incontinence: Unintentional leaks of urine, gas, or stool.
Constipation: Fewer than 3 bowel movements per week +/- difficult to pass, hard stool, discomfort.
Nocturia: Waking up at night to urinate (more than 1–2 times/night may signal a problem).
What matters most is whether your symptoms are bothersome or affect your sleep, confidence, activities, or safety.
Bowel urgency and bowel control problems can increase your risk of falls, and constipation can worsen bladder urgency.
Talk to a healthcare professional if you have:
- Pain, blood in urine or stool
- Frequent leaks or urgency
- Ongoing constipation or diarrhea
- Sudden changes in bladder or bowel habits
- What you can do to decrease falls risk
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Managing bladder and bowel symptoms and reducing your risk of falls usually involves a combination of strategies. Talk to your healthcare provider to create a plan that will help you.
Options that can help decrease falls include:
- Making the route to your toilet safer:
- Install grab bars or consider a bedside commode
- Keep a clear, well-lit path to the toilet
- Use safe footwear and your usual mobility equipment, especially at night
- Building strength and balance
Visit our activity and falls prevention pages for more information.
- Bladder and bowel retraining
A Pelvic Health Physiotherapist or Nurse Continence Advisor can work with you to assess your individual symptoms. This may involve keeping a bladder and bowel diary, since both are closely linked. Based on your needs, your provider will offer tailored advice, such as how to calm bladder sensations, improve emptying the bladder, adjusting bathroom routines, timing fluid intake, or identifying food triggers.
- Optimizing stool consistency
Stool consistency is important for constipation, bowel urgency, and anal incontinence. Loose or watery stool is harder to hold and can cause urgency. Hard, dry, or large stool can be difficult to pass and may back up in the colon. Constipation can also worsen bladder urgency.
Helpful strategies:
- Eat regular meals
- Drink enough fluids
- Keep a steady daily routine
- Have breakfast at a consistent time which may prompt a bowel movement 20–30 minutes later
Medication review
Some medications can affect bladder and bowel function so it’s important to review with a Pharmacist or Primary Care Provider (PCP).
- Quick tips you can try now
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Healthy habits for your bladder
- Drink 6–8 cups of water daily (unless your doctor advises otherwise)
- Limit caffeine and alcohol — they irritate the bladder
- Avoid “just in case” bathroom trips — try to go only when you think your bladder is full
- If a strong urge hits, do not rush. Stop, stay calm, and walk. If you know how to use your pelvic floor muscles, doing five gentle contract-and-relax cycles may help calm the bladder
- Do pelvic floor exercises to improve control strengthen muscles. A Pelvic Health Physiotherapist can help you.
Healthy habits for your bowels
- Eat fibre-rich foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains). Drink enough fluids throughout the day.
- Stay physically active.
- Develop a routine & listen to your body. Go when you feel the urge — don’t hold it in.
Nighttime bathroom safety
- Keep a nightlight or flashlight handy
- Clear the path from bed to bathroom
- Wear non-slip slippers
- Consider a bedside commode or urinal if you wake often