Stress Urinary Incontinence in Elite Female Athletes: A Cross-Disciplinary Survey of Prevalence and Contributing Factors
Abstract
Background: Elite female athletes across various sports may experience stress urinary incontinence (SUI), a condition that is still insufficiently acknowledged in high-level athletic environments among both athletes and their support staff. Beyond affecting quality of life and psychological comfort, SUI may compromise sports performance. However, it remains understudied in numerous athletic disciplines. Methods: This observational study analyzed anonymized, retrospective data from 200 elite female athletes who completed an online questionnaire evaluating the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and its triggering factors (TF). The use of compensatory strategies, implementation of targeted interventions, and the level of dialogue on this topic with support staff were also examined in relation to the presence of SUI. Results: 36.9% of athletes reported SUI through direct questioning, while indirect analysis revealed a prevalence of 68.5%. No significant differences were found between SUI and No-SUI athletes in terms of age, age at the start of high-level practice, or training load. During sports activities, jumping/landing was the most frequently reported TF (44.5%), followed by running (28.9%) and weightlifting (23.4%). Other sport-specific movements should also be considered. Regardless of SUI status, elite female athletes reported more frequent discussions about SUI with medical staff than with technical staff (p < 0.001). Conclusion: SUI is highly prevalent among elite female athletes in France, with over half affected in most disciplines. Results call for raising awareness, prevention strategies, and open communication to support athlete health and performance.
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BibTeX
@article{dupuit2026stress,
title = {{Stress Urinary Incontinence in Elite Female Athletes: A Cross-Disciplinary Survey of Prevalence and Contributing Factors}},
author = {Marine Dupuit and Carole Maitre and Anne-Sophie Muller and Alice van Niekerk and François-Xaxier Ferey and Tom Chassard and Adrien Revault},
journal = {Applied Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/app16199724},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05778157v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Stress Urinary Incontinence in Elite Female Athletes: A Cross-Disciplinary Survey of Prevalence and Contributing Factors
AU - Marine Dupuit
AU - Carole Maitre
AU - Anne-Sophie Muller
AU - Alice van Niekerk
AU - François-Xaxier Ferey
AU - Tom Chassard
AU - Adrien Revault
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Applied Sciences
DO - 10.3390/app16199724
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05778157v1
AB - Background: Elite female athletes across various sports may experience stress urinary incontinence (SUI), a condition that is still insufficiently acknowledged in high-level athletic environments among both athletes and their support staff. Beyond affecting quality of life and psychological comfort, SUI may compromise sports performance. However, it remains understudied in numerous athletic disciplines. Methods: This observational study analyzed anonymized, retrospective data from 200 elite female athletes who completed an online questionnaire evaluating the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and its triggering factors (TF). The use of compensatory strategies, implementation of targeted interventions, and the level of dialogue on this topic with support staff were also examined in relation to the presence of SUI. Results: 36.9% of athletes reported SUI through direct questioning, while indirect analysis revealed a prevalence of 68.5%. No significant differences were found between SUI and No-SUI athletes in terms of age, age at the start of high-level practice, or training load. During sports activities, jumping/landing was the most frequently reported TF (44.5%), followed by running (28.9%) and weightlifting (23.4%). Other sport-specific movements should also be considered. Regardless of SUI status, elite female athletes reported more frequent discussions about SUI with medical staff than with technical staff (p < 0.001). Conclusion: SUI is highly prevalent among elite female athletes in France, with over half affected in most disciplines. Results call for raising awareness, prevention strategies, and open communication to support athlete health and performance.
SN - 2076-3417
SN - 2076-3417
ER -