Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 30, 2026
Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
Published on: May 19, 2015
Prevalence of urinary incontinence in women powerlifters: a pilot study
Lolita Wikander1, Donelle Cross2, Daniel E Gahreman3
1College of Nursing and Midwifery, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia. Lolita.wikander@yahoo.com.
Introduction And Hypothesis:
Increased intra-abdominal pressure is associated with urinary incontinence (UI) as is increasing age, obesity, and participating in sport at an elite level. We aimed to determine the prevalence of UI in competitive women powerlifters and establish if commonly cited risk factors affect the incidence of UI.
Methods:
The authors developed a 17-item questionnaire to investigate the prevalence of UI and the relationship of UI with age, body mass, resistance training experience, and competition grade in competitive women powerlifters. The questionnaire was distributed through three major powerlifting federations in Australia for 16 months. The data of 134 competitive women powerlifters were collected anonymously using Qualtrics, and were analysed using multivariate analysis.
Results:
In combination, the age of lifters, resistance training experience, body weight categories, and competition grade accounted for a significant 28% of the variability in the Incontinence Severity Index (ISI) (p < 0.01). However, the ISI was not significantly different among age groups, body weight categories, or competition grade. Approximately, 41% of women powerlifters had experienced UI at some stage in life, and 37% of women powerlifters currently experienced UI during training, competition, or maximum effort lifts. However, the rate of UI experienced during daily life activities was approximately 11%.
Conclusions:
This study showed that competitive women powerlifters experience a higher rate of UI during lifting-related activities than in daily life and that the rate of UI correlates positively with age, body weight categories, resistance training experience, and competition grade.
Related Concept Videos
01:08Prevalence and Incidence
Prevalence indicates the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific disease or health...
01:21Pilot and Numeric Relaying
01:30Urinary Tract Infection III: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care
01:13Introduction to Urinary System
The kidneys are bean-shaped organs located in the retroperitoneal space, on either side of the vertebral column, between the T12 and L3 vertebrae. They are partially protected by the rib cage and surrounded by perirenal fat, which provides cushioning. They are responsible for urine formation and play critical roles in regulating blood pressure, electrolyte levels, and hormone production. The ureters...
01:23Urinary Bladder
In males, the bladder is situated in front of the rectum, while in females, it is positioned anterior to the vagina and uterus. The bladder floor contains an inverted triangular area called the trigone, defined by the two ureteric...
01:20Disorders of the Urinary System
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common urinary system disorders. They are caused by bacteria that enter the urethra and can spread to the bladder resulting in cystitis. Pyelonephritis is the result of a UTI that has ascended to the level of the...