Skip to main content
Top

Open Access 25-10-2024 | Urinary Incontinence | General Gynecology

An online workshop to raise awareness of pelvic floor in track and field female athletes: a quasi-experimental study

Authors: Elena Vico-Moreno, Juan Carlos Fernández-Domínguez, Natalia Romero-Franco, Jesús Molina-Mula, Antonio González-Trujillo, Elisa Bosch-Donate

Published in: Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Login to get access

Abstract

Introduction

Track and field is a high-impact sport that may facilitate pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) of females. Although increasing the information may reduce deleterious habits, the traditional workshops to date did not motivate and engage the female athletes. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an online educational workshop about pelvic floor awareness on knowledge and habits of track and field female athletes.

Methods

A total of 49 track and field athletes participated in this quasi-experimental study: 38 attended an educational workshop and 11 did not. The workshop included innovative resources, such as 3D anatomic models, practical proprioceptive exercises guided by physiotherapists, and an anonymous questions and answers section. Before and 1 month later, all the athletes fulfilled an anonymous questionnaire to assess their knowledge about urinary incontinence (UI), ano-rectal incontinence (ARI), pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and female sexual dysfunction (FSD), as well as toileting and sports habits.

Results

After attending the workshop, athletes obtained higher scores in knowledge about ARI (p = 0.019), POP (p < 0.001), and FSD (p = 0.018) compared to baseline and athletes who did not attend it. No improvements were observed in habits and knowledge about UI (p > 0.05). The athletes who reached 70% of correct responses about POP had greater number of healthy habits than the rest of the athletes.

Conclusions

An innovative educational workshop about pelvic floor increases knowledge of track and field female athletes but is insufficient to modify their habits. Sports and health professionals should design educational strategies to manage the most unknown topics about pelvic floor care, considering that the proposed methodology and innovative resources are effective to increase knowledge.
Literature
Metadata
Title
An online workshop to raise awareness of pelvic floor in track and field female athletes: a quasi-experimental study
Authors
Elena Vico-Moreno
Juan Carlos Fernández-Domínguez
Natalia Romero-Franco
Jesús Molina-Mula
Antonio González-Trujillo
Elisa Bosch-Donate
Publication date
25-10-2024
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Print ISSN: 0932-0067
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0711
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-024-07790-x