Hello all,
As we promised several months ago, we are able to now share our exciting findings from the Female Triathlete study that we performed and many of you participated in. Our goal with this study is not to suggest that triathlon training, or other endurance sport training, is not healthy or detrimental to your health. Instead, our goal is to inform women triathletes that these symptoms are common and that there are effective treatments for pelvic floor disorders. Further, we always encourage women to stay active, but in doing so, it is important to maintain adequate nutrition and energy availability to optimize your health during exercise. We hope you will find this study interesting and if you find yourself having any of these bothersome symptoms, please seek medical attention. Urogynecologists have expertise in pelvic floor disorders- urinary and fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. If you are concerned about your nutritional health, please discuss this with your primary care provider.
Sincerely,
Johnny YI and Colleen Fitzgerald
Loyola University Medical Center
Division of Urogynecology
Maywood, IL
Triathlete Risk of Pelvic Floor Disorders, Pelvic Girdle Pain and the Female Athlete Triad
Objective: To estimate the prevalence of pelvic floor disorders(PFD), pelvic girdle pain(PGP) and female athlete triad(Triad) in the female triathlete population and determine an association between PFD and PGP or Triad.
Design: Web-based survey
Setting: Nationwide survey for female triathletes >18 years old.
Participants: 311 subjects participated from 7 different regions of the US
Main Outcome Measures: Using validated questionnaires, we estimate the prevalence of PFD and PGP in the female triathlete population. We also used the female athlete triad screening questionnaire to evaluate the prevalence of those at risk for the Triad. Percentage and continuous variables were analyzed using a Chi-square and Student’s T-test while correlations were analyzed with the Spearman Correlation using SPSS version 20.0 (Chicago, Illinois).
Results: Three hundred eleven women with a median age range of 35-44 years responded. Participants were mostly White/Caucasian (89.7%), nonsmokers (99.4%) , premenopausal (80%) and had a mean BMI of 22. Mean weekly training was as follows: running 3.7 days, biking 2.9 days and swimming 2.4 days.
16% endorsed urgency urinary incontinence (UUI), 37.4% Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI), 5% Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) and 37% anal incontinence (AI) and 28% with fecal incontinence (FI). Training mileage and intensity were not associated with PFD. Parity was associated with higher prevalence of SUI (55 vs 24% p=0.001) and POP (8 vs 3%, p=0.05).
18% of respondents had PGP thought it was not disabling per the PGPQ with a mean score of 35.6 (SD=8.0). Those with SUI, UUI and AI had higher levels of PGP. (SUI p=0.05, UUI p=0.03, AI p=0.03)
75% of respondents completed the triad questionnaire and 22% screened positive for low energy availability, 24% for menstrual irregularities, and 29% for abnormal bone strength. 24% screened positive for one arm of the triad. There was no significant association between PFD and the Triad.
Conclusions: 1 in 3 triathletes endorse symptoms of pelvic floor disorders. About 1 in 4 triathletes screen positive for at least one component of the Triad. While both disorders are prevalent in female athletes, both are often ignored. Healthcare providers should be aware of this significant prevalence and screen and treat patients appropriately to avoid long term sequelae and improve overall quality of life.
As we promised several months ago, we are able to now share our exciting findings from the Female Triathlete study that we performed and many of you participated in. Our goal with this study is not to suggest that triathlon training, or other endurance sport training, is not healthy or detrimental to your health. Instead, our goal is to inform women triathletes that these symptoms are common and that there are effective treatments for pelvic floor disorders. Further, we always encourage women to stay active, but in doing so, it is important to maintain adequate nutrition and energy availability to optimize your health during exercise. We hope you will find this study interesting and if you find yourself having any of these bothersome symptoms, please seek medical attention. Urogynecologists have expertise in pelvic floor disorders- urinary and fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. If you are concerned about your nutritional health, please discuss this with your primary care provider.
Sincerely,
Johnny YI and Colleen Fitzgerald
Loyola University Medical Center
Division of Urogynecology
Maywood, IL
Triathlete Risk of Pelvic Floor Disorders, Pelvic Girdle Pain and the Female Athlete Triad
Objective: To estimate the prevalence of pelvic floor disorders(PFD), pelvic girdle pain(PGP) and female athlete triad(Triad) in the female triathlete population and determine an association between PFD and PGP or Triad.
Design: Web-based survey
Setting: Nationwide survey for female triathletes >18 years old.
Participants: 311 subjects participated from 7 different regions of the US
Main Outcome Measures: Using validated questionnaires, we estimate the prevalence of PFD and PGP in the female triathlete population. We also used the female athlete triad screening questionnaire to evaluate the prevalence of those at risk for the Triad. Percentage and continuous variables were analyzed using a Chi-square and Student’s T-test while correlations were analyzed with the Spearman Correlation using SPSS version 20.0 (Chicago, Illinois).
Results: Three hundred eleven women with a median age range of 35-44 years responded. Participants were mostly White/Caucasian (89.7%), nonsmokers (99.4%) , premenopausal (80%) and had a mean BMI of 22. Mean weekly training was as follows: running 3.7 days, biking 2.9 days and swimming 2.4 days.
16% endorsed urgency urinary incontinence (UUI), 37.4% Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI), 5% Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) and 37% anal incontinence (AI) and 28% with fecal incontinence (FI). Training mileage and intensity were not associated with PFD. Parity was associated with higher prevalence of SUI (55 vs 24% p=0.001) and POP (8 vs 3%, p=0.05).
18% of respondents had PGP thought it was not disabling per the PGPQ with a mean score of 35.6 (SD=8.0). Those with SUI, UUI and AI had higher levels of PGP. (SUI p=0.05, UUI p=0.03, AI p=0.03)
75% of respondents completed the triad questionnaire and 22% screened positive for low energy availability, 24% for menstrual irregularities, and 29% for abnormal bone strength. 24% screened positive for one arm of the triad. There was no significant association between PFD and the Triad.
Conclusions: 1 in 3 triathletes endorse symptoms of pelvic floor disorders. About 1 in 4 triathletes screen positive for at least one component of the Triad. While both disorders are prevalent in female athletes, both are often ignored. Healthcare providers should be aware of this significant prevalence and screen and treat patients appropriately to avoid long term sequelae and improve overall quality of life.