To summarize the current understanding on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management strategies of urinary incontinence (UI) in female athletes, highlighting findings specific to nulliparous elite athletes.
UI occurs in about 20-50% of female athletes of all ages and parity status, around 40% for younger nulliparous athletes, and is more prevalent in high-impact sports. Possible contributing factors to UI in female elite athletes include pelvic floor laxity and bladder neck descent, pelvic floor muscle fatigue, low energy availability, and hypermobility syndrome. In female elite athletes, urinary symptoms negatively affect quality of life, although the effects of symptoms on exercise participation are not well understood. Current management strategies are primarily conservative and centered on behavioral modifications and pelvic floor muscle physiotherapy. UI in female elite athletes appears to be multifactorial. Clarifying how individual factors influence UI in this population will inform athlete counseling, prevention, and treatment strategies.
Current urology reports. 2022 Nov 24 [Epub ahead of print]
Zoe S Gan, Ariana L Smith
Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, 3rd Floor West Pavilion, Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. ., Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, 3rd Floor West Pavilion, Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.