Urinary incontinence in female road runners from the Brazilian Federal District - occurrence and associated risk factors

Abstract

Urinary incontinence (UI) is defined as the involuntary leakage of urine and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common type of UI, characterized by the loss of urine during physical effort, including running. Objective Analyze UI and associated factors in female road runners in the Brazilian Federal District (DF). Method Cross-sectional descriptive study that investigated UI by applying an adapted questionnaire to female road runners in DF. Results 94 runners, 3.2% of whom reported UI and 56.6% complained of SUI. Body mass index (BMI), birth weight of largest baby and episiotomy were factors associated of SUI. Conclusion Although few women reported UI while running, the results suggest that SI needs to be addressed, especially when associated with risk factors.