{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,3]],"date-time":"2026-06-03T07:06:02Z","timestamp":1780470362990,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,24]],"date-time":"2021-05-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1621814400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Purpose: To study the prevalence of UI in female athletes, the category of sports with the highest number of cases, the most incident risk factors and the bio-psycho-social consequences. Methods: Preparation of a survey, based on two validated questionnaires answered by 63 participants, to carry out an analytical, transversal and observational study. All participants were European, adult, female athletes (mean age 30.78 years, standard deviation 12.16 years). Results: UI has a high prevalence (44.4%) in female athletes (compared to 10% in non-athletes), being more frequent in those who practice long-distance running. As age and years of sport practice increase, the incidence of this pathology increases. Absorbent pads are used by more than half of women with incontinence, while the rest wet their underwear. Menopause, childbirth and surgery in the region are risk factors for UI, while the presence of urinary tract infections or candidiasis is not. The results state that urine loss does not cause anxiety or depression, but it does affect sporting life. Conclusions: The prevalence of UI in this study is very high and more common in female athletes and the incidence increases with age and other risk factors. The salient consequence of this study is that urine loss affects their sporting environment, but does not induce depression or anxiety.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18115591","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,24]],"date-time":"2021-05-24T12:38:01Z","timestamp":1621859881000},"page":"5591","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":20,"title":["Observational Study on the Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence in Female Athletes"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Jorge","family":"Vel\u00e1zquez-Saornil","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de \u00c1vila, 05005 \u00c1vila, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Encarnaci\u00f3n","family":"M\u00e9ndez-S\u00e1nchez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de \u00c1vila, 05005 \u00c1vila, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sonia","family":"G\u00f3mez-S\u00e1nchez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de \u00c1vila, 05005 \u00c1vila, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4129-2084","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zacar\u00edas","family":"S\u00e1nchez-Mil\u00e1","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de \u00c1vila, 05005 \u00c1vila, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ester","family":"Cort\u00e9s-Llorente","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"FisioSalud \u00c1vila, 05002 \u00c1vila, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ana","family":"Mart\u00edn-Jim\u00e9nez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de \u00c1vila, 05005 \u00c1vila, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1810-5743","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elena","family":"S\u00e1nchez-Jim\u00e9nez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de \u00c1vila, 05005 \u00c1vila, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ang\u00e9lica","family":"Camp\u00f3n-Chekroun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de \u00c1vila, 05005 \u00c1vila, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Walker, C. (2012). Fisioterapia en Obstetricia y Uroginecolog\u00eda, Elsevier Masson. [2nd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"433","DOI":"10.1002\/nau.23897","article-title":"An International Continence Society (ICS) Report on the Terminology for Adult Male Lower Urinary Tract and Pelvic Floor Symptoms and Dysfunction","volume":"38","author":"Haylen","year":"2019","journal-title":"Neurourol. Urodyn."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"524","DOI":"10.1097\/WON.0b013e3182a2198a","article-title":"Women\u2019s management of urinary incontinence in daily living","volume":"40","author":"John","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Wound Ostomy Cont. Nurs."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1016\/S0079-6123(05)52013-2","article-title":"Pelvic somato-visceral reflexes after spinal cord injury: Measures of functional loss and partial preservation","volume":"152","author":"Craggs","year":"2006","journal-title":"Prog. Brain Res."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"1028","article-title":"Clinical and urodynamic assessment of nulliparous young women with and without stress incontinence symptoms: A case-control study","volume":"84","author":"Stien","year":"1994","journal-title":"Obstet. Gynecol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1717","DOI":"10.1007\/s00192-018-3651-1","article-title":"Prevalence of urinary incontinence in female athletes: A systematic review with meta-analysis","volume":"29","author":"Teixeira","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. Urogynecol. J."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"937","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0043-115736","article-title":"Urinary Incontinence in Physically Active Young Women: Prevalence and Related Factors","volume":"38","author":"Alves","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Khowailed, I.A., Pinjuv-Turney, J., Lu, C., and Lee, H. (2020). Stress Incontinence during Different High-Impact Exercises in Women: A Pilot Survey. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17228372"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ptsp.2018.06.004","article-title":"Female sexual function and urinary incontinence in nulliparous athletes: An exploratory study","volume":"33","author":"Wolpe","year":"2018","journal-title":"Phys. Ther. Sport"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1002\/(SICI)1520-6777(2000)19:2<137::AID-NAU4>3.0.CO;2-G","article-title":"A severity index for epidemiological surveys of female urinary incontinence: Comparison with 48hour pad-weighing tests","volume":"19","author":"Sandvik","year":"2000","journal-title":"Neurourol. Urodyn."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1096","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.322.7294.1096","article-title":"Validity study of the severity index, a simple measure of urinary incontinence in women","volume":"322","author":"Hanley","year":"2001","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"520","DOI":"10.1007\/s00192-005-0060-z","article-title":"Validity of the incontinence severity index: Comparison with pad-weighing tests","volume":"17","author":"Sandvik","year":"2006","journal-title":"Int. Urogynecol. J."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"219","DOI":"10.4321\/S1137-66272006000300006","article-title":"La incontinencia urinaria","volume":"29","author":"Robles","year":"2006","journal-title":"An. Sist. Sanit. Navar."},{"key":"ref_14","first-page":"78","article-title":"La incontinencia urinaria en la mujer deportista de \u00e9lite. Revista Iberoam","volume":"9","year":"2006","journal-title":"Fisioter. Kinesiol."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1016\/S0090-4295(02)02243-4","article-title":"Standardisation Sub-Committee of the International Continence Society. The standardisation of terminology in lower urinary tract function: Report from the standardisation sub-committee of the International Continence Society","volume":"61","author":"Abrams","year":"2003","journal-title":"Urology"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1016\/S0272-5231(21)00498-6","article-title":"Functional anatomy of the respiratory muscles","volume":"9","author":"Estenne","year":"1988","journal-title":"Clin. Chest Med."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"324","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1464-410X.2003.04609.x","article-title":"The prevalence of urinary incontinence in women in four European countries","volume":"93","author":"Hunskaar","year":"2004","journal-title":"BJU Int."},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"Jarmey, J. (2003). Atlas Conciso de los Musculos, Paidotribo. (In Spanish)."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16","DOI":"10.1016\/S0090-4295(03)00755-6","article-title":"Epidemiology and natural history of urinary incontinence in women","volume":"62","author":"Hunskaar","year":"2003","journal-title":"Urology"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1311","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.300.11.1311","article-title":"Prevalence of symptomatic pelvic floor disorders in US women","volume":"300","author":"Nygaard","year":"2008","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"399","DOI":"10.1080\/00913847.2017.1372677","article-title":"Pelvic floor muscle function and urinary incontinence in the female athlete","volume":"45","author":"Casey","year":"2017","journal-title":"Physician Sportsmed."},{"key":"ref_22","first-page":"848","article-title":"Exercise and incontinence","volume":"75","author":"Nygaard","year":"1990","journal-title":"Obstet. Gynecol."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"647","article-title":"Validez del cuestionario King\u2019s Health para la evaluaci\u00f3n de la calidad de vida en pacientes con incontinencia urinaria","volume":"114","year":"2013","journal-title":"Med. Cl\u00edn."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1017","DOI":"10.1016\/S0210-4806(06)73578-1","article-title":"Validaci\u00f3n de la versi\u00f3n en espa\u00f1ol del \"Cuestionario de Autoevaluaci\u00f3n del Control de la Vejiga (CACV): Un nuevo instrumento para detectar pacientes con disfunci\u00f3n del tracto urinario inferior","volume":"30","author":"Clota","year":"2006","journal-title":"Actas Urol. Esp."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1016\/S0210-4806(09)74117-8","article-title":"Prevalencia de Incontinencia Urinaria y Vejiga Hiperactiva en la poblaci\u00f3n espa\u00f1ola: Resultados del Estudio EPICC","volume":"33","author":"Backhaus","year":"2009","journal-title":"Actas Urol. Esp."},{"key":"ref_26","first-page":"464","article-title":"Urinary incontinence in women","volume":"120","year":"2003","journal-title":"Med. Clin."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"373","DOI":"10.1016\/j.acuro.2011.03.012","article-title":"Gu\u00edas EAU sobre incontinencia urinaria","volume":"35","author":"Abrams","year":"2011","journal-title":"Actas Urol. Esp."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17042","DOI":"10.1038\/nrdp.2017.42","article-title":"Urinary incontinence in women","volume":"3","author":"Aoki","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Dis. Primer"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"687","DOI":"10.1007\/s00192-017-3314-7","article-title":"Clinical epidemiological insights into urinary incontinence","volume":"28","author":"Minassian","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. Urogynecol. J."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pero, R., Brancaccio, M., Mennitti, C., Gentile, L., Arpino, S., De Falco, R., Leggiero, E., Ranieri, A., Pagliuca, C., and Colicchio, R. (2020). Urinary Biomarkers: Diagnostic Tools for Monitoring Athletes\u2019 Health Status. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17176065"}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/18\/11\/5591\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T06:06:44Z","timestamp":1760162804000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/18\/11\/5591"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,24]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,6]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph18115591"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph18115591","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1660-4601","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,24]]}}}