Impact of urinary incontinence on quality of life in female CrossFit practitioners: A cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the impact of urinary incontinence (UI) on quality of life (QoL) in female CrossFit practitioners and to verify the strategies used by them to minimize the occurrence of urine leakage. In addition, to verify whether anthropometric and clinical characteristics increase the UI impact on QoL of female CrossFit practitioners. STUDY DESIGN: This was an online cross-sectional survey. The impact of UI on QoL was investigated by International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQ-SF). Associations between the impact of UI on QoL and the clinical (age, BMI, gestations, mode of delivery, practice of other physical activities) and the others pelvic floor dysfunctions (PFD) related independent variables were tested using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 828 female CrossFit practitioners answered the questionnaire and 36% reported UI symptoms. The women who obtained the highest score on the ICIQ-SF have high UI interference in QoL. Previous history of two or more gestations and sexual dysfunctions (dyspareunia or vaginismus) or pelvic organ prolapse increase 2.65 and 1.82 times the risk of female CrossFit practitioners with UI having a high impact of UI on their QoL, respectively (OR = 2.65 95% CI 1.30-5.40, p = 0.01; and OR = 1.82 95% CI 1.04-3.21, p = 0.04, respectively). The most strategies used by them to minimize the occurrence of urine leakage were emptying the bladder before training (77.5%) and use absorbent (17.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Women who had higher scores on the ICIQ-SF reported greater impact on QoL, and the previous history of two or more gestations and sexual dysfunction/pelvic organ prolapse increase the risk of women with UI who practice CrossFit to have a greater impact on QoL. Multigravida and women with sexual dysfunction/pelvic organ prolapse who practice CrossFit could have more attention on the UI symptoms due to the high impact on their QoL.