engleski

Pelvic floor and gymnastics: A physiotherapy perspective

Objectives: Gymnastics is characterised by intensive loading of the musculoskeletal system, including pelvic floor muscles (PFM). Weak or dysfunctional PFM and/or strenuous exercise performed by gymnasts can lead to pelvic floor dysfunction, with urinary incontinence (UI) as the most common form of pelvic floor dysfunction. The aim of the article is to review the literature regarding prevalence, prevention and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction in gymnasts. Methods: A detailed search on pelvic floor dysfunction in female athletes was performed using Medline, EMBASE, and OvidSP from their inception to November 2016. Relevant references found were also included in the review. All studies which reported on the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction in gymnasts and other female elite athletes in similar sports, or reported on preventive and therapeutic strategies for pelvic floor dysfunction were included in the review. Results: Most evidence on the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction among gymnasts and other elite athletes is focused on urinary incontinence (UI). Reported prevalence is up 88.9% in gymnasts. There is scarce evidence on other forms of pelvic floor dysfunction. There is no study which applied PFM training for the primary prevention of UI in athletes. Conservative treatment using PFM training should be first line treatment for SUI in female gymnasts. There are only few studies which report on the effects of PFM training in elite athletes, with positive results. Conclusion: Prevalence of UI in female gymnasts is high and it causes embarassment, decreases quality of life and affects sports performance. Scientific evidence regarding prevention and treatment is scarce. There is a need to perform more studies on the influence of exercise on the pelvic floor, and the PFM function during exercise. Also, there is a need to perform good quality research on the primary prevention and treatment of PFM dysfunction in gymnasts.

Pelvic floor ; gymnastics ; physiotherapy

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