Urinary Incontinence in Female Athletes: A Systematic Review on Prevalence and Physical Therapy Approaches

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Urology
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Urinary incontinence (UI) affects females disproportionately due to anatomical and physiological differences.
• High-intensity physical activities are associated with an increased prevalence of UI in female athletes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the prevalence of UI in nulliparous sportswomen.
• To examine sport-specific UI prevalence.
• To assess the impact of physical therapy interventions on UI in female athletes.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of Cochrane and Google Scholar databases (2018-2023).
• Keywords: "urinary incontinence," "nulliparous," "sportswomen," "female athletes," "physical therapy."
• Included nine studies; quality assessed using AMSTAR 2 and Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

Main Results:

• Nulliparous athletes, especially those in high-impact sports, exhibit a significant prevalence of UI.
• Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) and education on pelvic anatomy were common physical therapy interventions.
• Interventions focused on UI prevention and management in female athletes.

Conclusions:

• Nulliparous female athletes are at a notable risk for urinary incontinence.
• Physical therapy, particularly PFMT with education, is effective for managing and preventing UI in this population.