Role of chronic exercise on pelvic floor support and function

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Pelvic Floor Physiology

Background:

• Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is prevalent among physically active individuals.
• The relationship between chronic exercise and pelvic floor support/function remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current literature on the effects of chronic exercise on pelvic floor support and function.
• To identify gaps in research regarding exercise and pelvic floor health.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies examining exercise and pelvic floor outcomes.
• Analysis of findings related to pelvic floor muscle strength, support, and electromyographic activity in athletes versus non-athletes.

Main Results:

• Limited evidence suggests a dose-response relationship between exercise volume and SUI.
• Athletes do not exhibit superior pelvic floor muscle strength or support compared to non-athletes.
• Pelvic floor muscle activity intensifies with increased running speed.

Conclusions:

• Current literature provides insufficient evidence to definitively conclude whether chronic exercise positively or negatively influences pelvic floor support and function.
• Longitudinal studies are recommended to mitigate bias and prospectively assess exercise's impact on pelvic floor health.