Author(s): KNEIßLER, E., ZENTGRAF, K., Institution: GOETHE UNIVERSITY FRANKFURT, Country: GERMANY, Abstract-ID: 1916

INTRODUCTION:
According to common knowledge, it is assumed that there are mainly older people, pregnant women and those who have just given birth, who suffer from urinary incontinence. However, young and healthy women being active in sports are also affected by this phenomenon. Based on the study situation, it can be assumed that people who practice high-impact sports are more prone to incontinence than others of the same age. The objective of this review is to evaluate the occurrence of urinary incontinence in female gymnasts as high-impact athletes and identify the factors most likely to contribute to it.
METHODS:
A systematic review of the literature was conducted by making use of electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library, for studies published in the English language up to January 2024. The search strategy included the keywords stress urinary incontinence, female urinary leakage, trampoline, artistic gymnastics, cheerleading, female athletes. The subjects were female gymnasts and the outcome formed prevalence of urinary incontinence.
RESULTS:
The search identified 49 studies, 6 of which met the methodologic criteria for a complete analysis. In this review, 928 women aged 13 to 44 were included. The Risk of Bias in these studies was assessed using Risk of Bias in non-randomized Cohort Studies by Cochrane and ROBINS-I depending on the type of study.
CONCLUSION:
These data suggest that exercise in gymnastics show a high prevalence of urinary incontinence, mainly due to sport-specific movements. Preventive measures are also rarely taken. The leakage of urine massively influences the athlete’s quality of life and their performance in training and competition. The findings of the present review indicate a high prevalence of urinary incontinence in gymnasts. This review aims at bringing this issue into focus as it may have a major impact on well-being and involvement of females in sports.