Assessment of bioelectrical activity of pelvic floor muscles in female cross-training practitioners: A cross-sectional observational study

Abstract

Introduction: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) during high-impact exercises is common in female cross-training practitioners and may be due to failure of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) in supporting the bladder neck and urethra. Objective: To evaluate the functional and bioelectrical activity of PFM in female cross-training practitioners with and without symptoms of SUI during sports practice. Methods: Forty women practicing cross-training for at least eight uninterrupted months, at least three times per week, over than 50 minutes were divided according to the presence or absence of SUI. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire – Short Form (ICIQ-SF), pelvic floor muscle assessment by PERFECT scheme, surface electromyography of PFM using the Glazer protocol, and tetrapolar bioimpedance for body composition evaluation were used for the assessments. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney test and Student t-test. A level of significance of 0.05 was adopted for all analyses. Results: The participants had a mean age of 37.25 ± 7.80 years and had practiced the modality for an average of 34.5 months. Women with SUI (n = 16) had lower number of fast and slow repetitions (p = 0.052), lower intensity of tonic contractions of PFM (p = 0.054), a longer time before peak phasic contractions (p = 0.041), a longer time before peak tonic contractions (p = 0.009), and a longer time after peak tonic contractions (p = 0.006) than women without SUI (n = 24). Conclusion: Women with SUI during physical activity exhibit deficits in the functioning of both fast and slow muscle fiber contractions, as well as reduced bioelectrical activity in the tonic and phasic fibers of the PFM. Additionally, these women frequently display a lack of abdominal-pelvic synergy. These findings indicate an important relationship between bioelectrical parameters and the presence of SUI, providing a foundation for the development of future interventions aimed at health prevention and rehabilitation.