Athletic incontinence (athletic leakage, athletic leaks, exercise-induced urinary incontinence) is the specific form of
urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence (UI), also known as involuntary urination, is any uncontrolled leakage of urine. It is a common and distressing problem, which may have a large impact on quality of life. It has been identified as an important issue in geri ...
that results from engaging in high-impact or strenuous activities. Unlike
stress incontinence, which is defined as the loss of small amounts of urine associated with sneezing, laughing or exercising, athletic incontinence occurs exclusively during exercise.
Athletic incontinence is generally thought to be the result of decreased structural support of the
pelvic floor
The pelvic floor or pelvic diaphragm is composed of muscle fibers of the levator ani, the coccygeus muscle, and associated connective tissue which span the area underneath the pelvis. The pelvic diaphragm is a muscular partition formed by the lev ...
due to increased abdominal pressure during high-impact exercise. As such
exercises
Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness.
It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic s ...
that build and develop the pelvic floor may be an important step to counteracting athletic incontinence.
In addition to high-impact exercise, this weakening can also stem from childbirth and age.
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Prevalence
Studies have shown that 30 percent to 40 percent of all women deal with athletic incontinence, with some studies reporting up to 69 percent of women as sufferers.
Athletes in high impact sports such as gymnastics and basketball are likely to suffer from incontinence, with over 60 percent of subjects in each sport reporting they suffer from athletic leaks during activity.
Rarely do sufferers of athletic incontinence seek treatment, with one study showing that over 95 percent of subjects had not sought professional advice on their condition.
Those who participated in the study claimed they didn’t seek help because they were embarrassed or thought it was a normal condition.
See also
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Treatment of urinary incontinence
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Athletic incontinence
Symptoms and signs: Urinary system
Urinary incontinence