Triathletes and Urinary Incontinence: An Investigation of Prevalence and Associated Factors.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) among Brazilian female triathletes and to identify associated factors, focusing on demographic, obstetric, and sports-related variables.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 90 female triathletes. Data on age, body mass index (BMI), pregnancy history, parity, delivery type, training frequency, and weekly training volume were collected through in-person interviews and an online questionnaire. UI severity was assessed using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQ-SF). Ordinal logistic regression was used to analyze factors associated with UI severity, and multinomial logistic regression examined associations between training volume and UI type.

Results: The prevalence of UI was 43.3%. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) was the most common type (25.6%). A greater number of deliveries was associated with increased UI severity (OR = 1.577; 95% CI: 1.047-2.374), while higher training frequency was protective against UI (OR = 0.761; 95% CI: 0.607-0.954). Increased running volume was associated with greater odds of presenting mixed UI (OR = 1.004; 95% CI: 1.001-1.006). Weekly training frequency was inversely associated with both stress and mixed UI.

Conclusions: UI was reported by 43.3% of triathletes, with SUI being the most prevalent type at 25.6%. Parity was the only sociodemographic factor significantly associated with UI. Higher weekly frequency in all disciplines appeared to reduce the likelihood of UI, especially SUI. In contrast, running volume showed a minimal or no association with an increased risk of MUI.