THE PREVALENCE OF URINARY INCONTINENCE IN FEMALE CROSSFIT PRACTITIONERS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Objective: CrossFit is a popular sport among women. It has numerous benefits, but it is unclear what effects it has on the pelvic floor, since physical exercise may be a risk factor for urinary incontinence.The aim of this study was to determine the overall prevalence of urinary incontinence in female CrossFit practitioners. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted (PROSPERO, 2020: CRD42020199479). We searched cross-sectional studies in databases (Pub-Med, CINAHL, WOS, Scopus, ProQuest) and search engines,from inception to 17 June, 2020. The Adapted Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for Cross-Sectional Studies was used to assess the risk of bias. Pooled prevalence was calculated using random-effects models. Heterogeneity was investigated by meta-regression and subgroup analysis. Results: A total of 282 records were identified, of which 13 were included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesises. The prevalence of urinary incontinence among female CrossFit practitioners was 32.1% (95% CI = 22.2-43.8%, n = 2187) and of stress urinary incontinence was 35.8% (95% CI = 19.4-56.4%, n = 1323). The prevalence of urinary incontinence was higher among women over 35 years old, with previous pregnancies and vaginal deliveries (P = 0.004). The CrossFit exercises associated with higher stress urinary incontinence were rope jumping, double under,weightlifting, and box jumps. Some preventive strategies were pelvic floor training, using pads, emptying the bladder before workouts, and wearing dark pants. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that the prevalence of urinary incontinence in female CrossFit practitioners was similar to that found among women who practice sport.