Abstract
Background: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a symptom during pregnancy and in the postpartum period, but a high prevalence of SUI is experienced in sports involving running and jumping. Objectives: Identify the scope of the problem of SUI in women participating in strength sports, movement patterns that elicit SUI, and the impact on quality of life in female athletes with SUI. Study Design: Survey mixed methods with qualitative focus groups. Methods: The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-SF) and a sport-specific and obstetric/gynecological history questionnaire were sent to women who are United States citizens, age 18-65, and members of USA Weightlifting, USA Powerlifting, and/or CrossFit affiliates. Polychoric and Spearman correlations were conducted for survey analysis. Logistic regression was performed to estimate predictors of the likelihood of women experiencing urine leakage with exercise. Wald chi-square tests were used to calculate odds ratios for each outcome. Following the survey, respondents were able to volunteer to participate in two focus groups for qualitative data. Results: Three hundred forty-two respondents completed the online survey. Sixty four percent reported any leakage and 44.8% (n=155) of those reported leakage during training. Parous women were more likely to report SUI than nulliparous women and there was a moderate correlation between parity, hours of training, and urinary leakage both during and outside of exercise. Olympic lifters had a greater risk of SUI than CrossFit athletes (OR 1.227 (95% 1.04-1.45, p=.01)). Qualitative reports demonstrated feelings of embarrassment, frustration, and hopelessness with urine leakage during and outside exercise. Women reported double unders, deadlift, running/jumping, front squats, cleans, and push press as offending movements that cause leakage during training. The athletes also reported adjustments to, or elimination of, training exercises and that urinary leakage is an acceptable side effect of training. Conclusion: Women in strength sports experience SUI with a moderate correlation between parity, hours of training, and leakage during and outside of training, negatively affecting sport performance.
Recommended Citation
Rohde M, Brumitt J, Sandvik J, Bo K. Prevalence of Stress Urinary Incontinence in Female Strength Athletes. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2025 Jul 28;23(3), Article 31.
