Urinary Incontinence OT Treatment: Anatomy and Approach

Most OT programs skip the bladder entirely. This video fills that gap — from anatomy through clinical treatment — in 30 minutes. Tara, OTR/L, has been treating pelvic floor dysfunction and urinary incontinence since 1995. In this condensed excerpt from her four-hour lab, she walks through the anatomy of the urinary system using an OT lens: the detrusor muscle, the trigone (the tissue that senses bladder irritants), the internal and external sphincters, and the pudendal nerve — and why each one matters clinically. She reframes the bladder as a sensory-motor system, a description that will immediately click for any OT who's worked with neurological or sensory populations. She then moves into the practical: bladder irritants and how to counsel clients about them (including a surprising tip about sun tea), the urine color chart every OT should be referencing, how constipation and the rectum directly impact bladder urgency, and the differences between stress, urge, overflow, and neurogenic incontinence. Treatment approaches covered include bladder training, habit training, prompted voiding, pelvic muscle exercises, and a note on why fall prevention is inseparable from incontinence treatment — especially in long-term care settings. For OTs exploring occupational therapy pelvic health, urinary incontinence treatment in OT practice, or pelvic floor OT scope of practice in SNF, home health, or outpatient settings, this is the anatomy foundation that most continuing ed skips straight past. Take the next step at functionalpelvis.com for Lindsey's free guide and AOTA-approved OT Pioneers course — or join 5,000+ OTs already in the community at facebook.com/groups/1427498174239216