Skip to main content
Log in

Prevalence study of stress urinary incontinence in women who perform high-impact exercises

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Urogynecology Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

Stress urinary incontinence is a frequent complaint in medical offices and studies have shown that women who practice high impact sports develop its symptoms.

Objective

To evaluate the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence in women who attend gyms and perform high impact exercises and correlate it with women who do not attend gyms.

Method

Prospective comparative study in which 488 nulliparous women of normal weight were divided into a Study Group, composed of women who attended gyms, and a Comparative Group, composed of women who did not attend gyms. Three questionnaires were used for the evaluation of stress urinary incontinence and the results of the ICIQ-SF questionnaire were used to compare the groups.

Results

There was a significant difference between groups on the ICIQ-SF. The average in the Study Group was 1.68 (+ 3.46) and in the Comparative Group the average was 1.02 (+ 2.69) (p = 0.006).

Conclusion

Women who attend gym and perform high impact exercises have a higher prevalence of urinary incontinence symptoms, independent of the exercise modality, than women who do not perform any high impact exercise.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Snijders C, Vleeming A, Stoeckart R (1993) Transfer of lumbosacral load to iliac bones and legs. I. Biomechanics of self-bracing of the sacroiliac joints and its significant treatment. Clin Biomech 8:285–294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Snijders C, Vleeming A, Stoeckart R (1993) Transfer of lumbosacral load to iliac bones and legs. II. Loading of the sacroiliac joints when lifting in stooped posture. Clin Biomech 8:295–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Haylen BT, Ridder D, Freeman RM, Swft SE, Bergmans B, Lee J et al (2010) An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/ International Continence Society (ICS) joint report on the terminology for female pelvic floor dysfunction. Int Urogynecol J 21:5–26

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Hannestad YS, Rortveit G, Sandvik H, Hunskaar A (2000) A community-based epidemiological survey of female urinary incontinence: the Norwegian EPINCNT study. J Clin Epidemiol 53:1150–1157

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Minassian VA, Drutz HP, Al-Badr A (2003) Urinary incontinency as a worldwide problem. Int J Gynecol Obstet 82:327–338

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Fultz NH, Burgio K, Diokno A et al (2003) Burden of stress urinary incontinence for community dwelling women. Am J Obstet Gynecol 189:1275–1282

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Delancey J (1994) Structural support of the urethra as it relates to stress incontinence: the Harmmock hypothesis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 170:1713–1723

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Caetano AS, Tavares MCGCF, Lopes MHBM (2007) Incontinência urinária e a prática de atividades físicas. Rev Bras Med Esporte 13:270–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Davis G, Goodman M (1996) Stress urinary incontinence in nulliparous female soldiers in airborne infantry training. J Pelvic Surg 2:68–71

    Google Scholar 

  10. Jiang K, Novi J, Darnell S, Arya L (2004) Exercise and urinary incontinence in women. Obstet Gynecol 59:717–721

    Google Scholar 

  11. Nygaard I, Delancey JO, Arndorf L et al (1990) Exercise and incontinence. Obstet Gynecol 75:848–851

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Norton P, Brubaker L (2006) Urinary incontinence in women. Lancet 367:57–67

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Ree MT, Nygaard I, Bo K (2007) Muscular fatigue in the pelvic floor muscles after strenuous physical activity. Acta Obstet Gynecol 86:870–876

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Nygaard IE (1997) Does prolonged high-impact activity contribute to later urinary incontinence? A retrospective cohort study of female Olympians. Obstet Gynecol 90:718–722

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Larsen WI, Yayored T (2007) Pelvic prolapse and urinary incontinence in nulliparous college women in relation to paratrooper training. Int Urogynecol J 18(7):769–771

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Thyssen HH, Clewin L, Olesen S, Lose G (2002) Urinary incontinence in elite female athletes and dancers. Int Urogynecol J 13:15–17

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Fozzatti C, Herrmann V, Palma T, Riccetto CLZ, Palma P (2010) Global Postural Re-education: alternative approach for stress urinary incontinence? Eur J Obstet Gynecol 152:218–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Tamanini JTN, Dambros M, D’Ancona CAL, Palma PCR, Netto NR Jr (2004) Validação para o português do “International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire—Short Form” (ICIQ-SF). Ver Saúde Pública 38(3):438–444

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Avery K, Donovan J, Abrams P (2001) Validation of a new questionnaire for incontinence: the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ). Abstract nº 86 of the International Continence Society 31st annual meeting. Seoul, Korea. Neurourol Urodyn 20:510–511

    Google Scholar 

  20. Hullley SB, Cummings SR (1988) Designing clinical research an epidemiological approach. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  21. Nygaard I, Glowacki C, Saltzman C (1996) Relationship between foot flexibility and urinary incontinence in nulliparous varsity athletes. Obstet Gynecol 87:1049–1051

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Bo K, Sundgot BJ (2001) Prevalence of stress and urge incontinence in elite athletes controls. Med Sci Sports 33:1798–1802

    Google Scholar 

  23. Fischer JR, Berg PH (1999) Urinary incontinence in United States Air Force female aircrew. Obstet Gynecol 94:532–536

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Celina Fozzatti.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fozzatti, C., Riccetto, C., Herrmann, V. et al. Prevalence study of stress urinary incontinence in women who perform high-impact exercises. Int Urogynecol J 23, 1687–1691 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-012-1786-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-012-1786-z

Keywords

Navigation