Prevalence and Normalization of Stress Urinary Incontinence in Female Strength Athletes.

ABSTRACT: Mahoney, K, Heidel, RE, and Olewinski, L. Prevalence and normalization of stress urinary incontinence in female strength athletes. J Strength Cond Res 37(9): 1877-1881, 2023-Strength training is increasing in popularity in women but is also a potential risk factor for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). There is potential for normalization of SUI in sports with high rates of SUI. Pelvic floor physical therapy is an effective treatment for SUI in both athletes and nonathletes, but female strength athletes may not be aware of this option. Our study sought to assess prevalence, normalization, rates of treatment, and preferred sources of information about SUI in female strength athletes. A novel cross-sectional survey was distributed online through social media groups dedicated to female strength athletes with 425 women responding within 4 days. Statistical significance of results was assumed at a 2-sided alpha value of 0.05. 43.5% of athletes experienced incontinence with daily tasks, 59.1% experienced incontinence with normal strength training, and 50.2% experienced incontinence during competition. Of the athletes who experienced incontinence, 61.4% did not have incontinence before starting their sport and only 9.4% had ever sought treatment. 67.9% of all athletes surveyed believed that urinary incontinence was a normal part of their sport. Our findings indicate that SUI is common in female strength athletes and may be a consequence of the sport itself. Normalization of SUI is common, and few athletes seek treatment.

Sports Medicine Physicians Comfort and Competence in Caring for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Patients and Athletes.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore primary care sports medicine physicians' comfort, competence, education, and scope of training in caring for transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) patients/athletes. DESIGN: Mixed-methods, cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Online. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS: In total, 4300 e-mails were successfully sent with 252 eligible responses received from the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine members. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Previous relationships with TGNC persons; previous relationships with TGNC patients/athletes; frequency of care for TGNC patients/athletes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The participants completed a 38-item tool used to assess perceived comfort and competence treating TGNC patients/athletes. Physicians defined "transgender" and described their thoughts on unfair competitive advantage of transgender athletes. RESULTS: Most participants had worked with a TGNC patient (70.2%, n = 177), but far fewer worked with a TGNC athlete (n = 26.6%, n = 67). Among the participants who provided a definition of transgender (n = 183), only 28.4% (n = 52) of participants were able to correctly define the term, whereas most were able to partially (57.9%, n = 106) characterize the term. The most common mechanisms identified for learning about TGNC patients were reading peer-reviewed journal articles (44.8%, n = 113) and CME (41.3%, n = 104). Those with previous TGNC friend/family, patient, and athlete relationships had a significantly different level of comfort and competence treating TGNC patients/athletes. CONCLUSIONS: Previous care relationships with TGNC strongly influences comfort and perceived competence of primary care sports medicine physicians. Training, from unbiased peer-reviewed sources of data, is critical to improve care for TGNC patients/athletes.

Collegiate athletes opinions regarding helmet use while riding scooters or mopeds.

Many collegiate athletes use scooters and mopeds for transportation, and they are at greater risk for head injury without helmets. Objective: Investigate college athletes' reasons for wearing/not wearing helmets while riding a scooter or moped. Participants, Methods: 125 Division I athletes across five teams (two with helmet mandates) completed a cross sectional survey on rates and attitudes about helmet use on scooters or mopeds. Results: Helmet use on mandated vs non-mandated teams was 100% vs 3.6% (OR 1141; 95% CI 56.97, 22,850). For the question, "if you do not wear a helmet, what might make you change your mind and wear one?", players most commonly wrote in a law or coaches' rule (57%). Conclusions: A coach's rule is associated with a higher rate of helmet use in collegiate athletes, and athletes primarily report a rule or law as the reason they would wear a helmet on a scooter or moped.