Can running influence women's sexual function?

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Studies have shown that athletes have three times increased risk of urinary incontinence compared to non-athletes, in addition to anal incontinence and sexual dysfunction (SD). This study aimed to assess the sexual and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) functions and to compare these variables among female athlete runners with and without SD and to identify predictive factors that may be associated with sexual function among the athletes. METHODS: Cross-sectional study including 90 female runners, who ran ≥ 20 km/week for at least 6 months, had had sexual intercourse in the last 4 weeks and were > 18 years old. PFM function was assessed by vaginal palpation and manometry. Women also answered the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form to investigate presence of urinary incontinence. Sexual function was assessed by Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI); total scores ≤ 26.5 were considered to indicate SD. The scores of each FSFI domain and the total score were compared individually between each predictor using simple linear regression. In addition, multiple linear regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: Athletes with SD presented lower PFM strength. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis among all the predictor variables, FSFI domains and total score show that the Modified Oxford Scale is a predictor for the desire, excitation, lubrication, orgasm, pain and total score domains. CONCLUSIONS: Female runners with lower PFM strength presented worse sexual function regardless of age, parity, BMI and running practice time.

The relationship between running kinematics and the pelvic floor muscle function of female runners.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: To date, no study has investigated the correlation between pelvic floor muscle function and urinary incontinence in female runners. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between pelvic floor muscle function and to correlate urinary leakage as measured by the modified pad test with kinematic variables of running. METHODS: The sample consisted of 11 incontinent and 17 continent runners. On day 1, they performed a maximum velocity test on a treadmill using an incremental protocol. Their pelvic floor muscles were evaluated using vaginal palpation and manometry, and the adapted pad test was used to evaluate the severity of urinary incontinence. Then, running kinematics were evaluated on a treadmill using a circuit camera to capture vertical displacement, knee flexion during the load response phase, and the initial contact of the foot with the ground for subsequent analysis. The pad test was performed during the kinematic evaluation. RESULTS: The vaginal squeeze pressure of the continent group (mean = 43.40 mmHg, SD = 21.75) was higher in descriptive terms than that of the incontinent group (mean = 38.94 mmHg, SD = 31.08), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.66). There was an association between the weekly training load and urinary leakage. No associations were found between pelvic floor muscle function or urinary leakage and the kinematic variables. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the correlation between the weekly training load and the severity of urinary leakage, no relationships were found between pelvic floor muscle functioning and the kinematics of running.