The Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence among Adolescent Female Athletes: A Systematic Review

• Main Authors: Tamara Rial Rebullido, Cinta Gómez-Tomás, Avery D. Faigenbaum, Iván Chulvi-Medrano
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
• Series: Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology
• Subjects: pelvic floor dysfunction; women’s health; pelvic floor training; youth
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/6/1/12
• ISSN: 2411-5142

This review aimed to synthesize the most up-to-date evidence regarding the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) among adolescent female athletes. We conducted a systematic review of studies regarding UI in female athletes less than 19 years of age. This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRIMSA). The electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Scopus, and Web of Science (WOS) were searched between October and November 2020. After blinded peer evaluation, a total of 215 studies were identified and nine were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist. This review identified a prevalence of UI in adolescent female athletes between 18% to 80% with an average of 48.58%. The most prevalent sports were trampolining followed by rope skipping. The prevalence of UI among adolescent female athletes practicing impact sports was significantly prevalent. There is a need for further research, education, and targeted interventions for adolescent female athletes with UI.