Urinary incontinence in high-level women athletes.

Abstract

Objective: Determine the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) in high level female athletes; to establish the type of UI that occurs most frequently; to determine the risk factors associated and identify the impact on the quality of life.

Methodology: Cross-sectional descriptive observational type, professional athletes between 16 and 35 years of age who met the inclusion criteria and who expressed their wish to participate voluntarily were included, obtaining a final sample of 51 participants.

The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire – Short Form (ICIQ-SF) validated in spanish was used and the modified Pad-Test during 1 hour of training was underwent.

Results:  52.9% (n = 27) self-reported episodes of little and / or moderate amount of urinary loss; 35.3% (n=18) had a positive result in the modified Pad-Test for 1 hour of training, 16.67% (n=4) of the athletes who did not report UI had a positive pad-test result. 51.8% (n=14) of the incontinent athletes (ICIQ-SF) present stress incontinence. No dependence was found between the variables considered as risk factors and episodes of incontinence. 70.37% (n=19) of the athletes who reported UI considered that episodes of urinary leakage do not matter and do not affect their quality of life and 29.63% (n=8) considered as of low or moderate importance.

Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of urinary incontinence in young female athletes, stress UI is the most common type. There is no association between risk factors and incontinence in this population. Episodes of urinary leakage do not generally influence their quality of life.