Assessment of Abdominal and Pelvic Floor Muscle Function Among Continent and Incontinent Athletes

Overview

Journal Int Urogynecol J

Publisher Springer

Specialties Gynecology & Obstetrics
Urology

Date 2018 Jun 24

PMID 29934766

Citations 15

Authors

Keyla Mara Dos Santos

Thuane Da Roza

Luis Mochizuki

Eliane Regina Mendoza Arbieto

Soraia Cristina Tonon da Luz

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction And Hypothesis: Studies have shown that there is a co-contraction between the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. This study aimed to evaluate pelvic floor and abdominal muscle function in continent and incontinent female athletes and to investigate the association between these muscle groups.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Forty nulliparous professional female athletes who competed at the municipal level or above participated in this study. All participants underwent a pelvic floor muscle (PFM) and abdominal muscle assessment. PFM function and strength were assessed using the modified Oxford Scale and a perineometer. Abdominal muscle function and strength were assessed using a 4-Pro isokinetic dynamometer. To assess athletes' urinary continence, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short-Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) was used.

Results: There was a positive association between PFM and abdominal muscle strength among the incontinent athletes (p = 0.006; r = 0.577). The incontinent athletes had greater PFM strength than the continent athletes (p = 0.02). There was no difference in abdominal muscle function between the groups.

Conclusions: We found that incontinent athletes have greater PFM strength than continent athletes. This suggests that urinary incontinence in this population is not due to PFM weakness. The positive association between abdominal and PFM strengths in incontinent athletes may be due to frequent co-contraction between these muscle groups.

Citing Articles

Influence of Powerlifting and Weightlifting on Female Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Systematic Literature Review.

Alves A, de Araujo M, Pereira G, Brito L, Juliato C Int Urogynecol J. 2025; .

PMID: 39918585 DOI: 10.1007/s00192-025-06059-4.

The role of abdominal muscle training in combination with pelvic floor muscle training to treat female urinary incontinence - a pilot 12-week study.

Konstantinidou E, Sakalis V, Kalaitzi M, Charalampous I, Konstantinos-Vaios M, Themistoklis M Cent European J Urol. 2024; 77(2):218-224.

PMID: 39345305 PMC: 11428365. DOI: 10.5173/ceju.2023.225.

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training on Stress Urinary Incontinence in Power- and Weightlifters: a Pilot Study.

Bo K, Lillegard R, Skaug K Int Urogynecol J. 2024; 35(6):1291-1298.

PMID: 38758455 PMC: 11245411. DOI: 10.1007/s00192-024-05801-8.

Is the Elite Female Athlete's Pelvic Floor Stronger?.

Acevedo-Gomez M, Rodriguez-Lopez E, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca A, Fernandez-Rodriguez T, Basas-Garcia A, Ojedo-Martin C J Clin Med. 2024; 13(3).

PMID: 38337602 PMC: 10856500. DOI: 10.3390/jcm13030908.

Effects of Minimalist vs. Traditional Running Shoes on Abdominal Lumbopelvic Muscle Activity in Women Running at Different Speeds: A Randomized Cross-Over Clinical Trial.

Garcia-Arrabe M, de la Plaza San Frutos M, Bermejo-Franco A, Del Prado-Alvarez R, Lopez-Ruiz J, Del-Blanco-Muniz J Sensors (Basel). 2024; 24(2).

PMID: 38257403 PMC: 10818597. DOI: 10.3390/s24020310.

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