Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) affects 66% of elite female athletes across various sports. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of SUI and identify associated factors among high-level female athletes in different athletics disciplines in France.
Sixty-five elite female athletes in athletics (mean age : 23.3 ± 7.4 years) completed a questionnaire specifically designed to assess SUI prevalence and its associated factors.
The overall prevalence of SUI was 58% across all disciplines in athletics. No significant associations were observed between SUI prevalence and any of the factors examined, including athletics discipline, type of effort, weekly training hours, daytime and nighttime urinary frequency, urgency, number of pregnancies, menstrual cycle regularity, medical history, age, or years of high-level practice (all p > 0.3).
SUI affects more than one in two high-level female athletes in athletics in France. Although numerous factors are potentially associated with SUI, our findings did not reveal a significant relationship between SUI prevalence and the factors evaluated in this study. Future research should focus on the impact of menstrual cycle variations and neuromuscular control of the pelvic floor muscles on SUI prevalence.
The French journal of urology. 2026 May 20 [Epub ahead of print]
Eon Pauline, Fontanier Vincent, Maelle Lacroix, Ferrer-Lormeau Caroline, Bruchard Arnaud, Laplaud David, Hager Jean-Philippe
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