Urinary Incontinence in People Referred for Pulmonary Rehabilitation: An Undisclosed Issue but a Real Problem

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an evidence-based intervention to manage symptoms related to chronic obstructive respiratory diseases (CORD). Paradoxically, few people with CORD actually engage in PR, and of those, up to one-third do not complete the program. Additionally, some of those who complete the program do not achieve worthwhile benefits. Therefore, the main challenge for the next decades is to offer PR to as many people (that would potentially benefit from it) as possible. This raises questions about factors influencing participation, completion, and responsiveness to PR programs. Among these factors, urinary incontinence (UI) is highly prevalent among people with CORD (much more than in the general population) and may worsen during PR exercise sessions. Paradoxically, UI is poorly explored in routine and scarcely assessed in research, and none of the actual guidelines about PR mention it. However, its potential influence on engagement, completion, and response to PR is of real concern. Therefore, the aim of this perspective is to describe the mechanisms of UI, particularly in the context of CORD, as well as to highlight its prevalence among people with CORD, their burden, and how it could affect a PR approach based on sustained and regular physical activity.