{{short description|Type of urinary incontinence caused by strenuous activity}} '''Athletic incontinence''' (athletic leakage, athletic leaks, exercise-induced urinary incontinence) is the specific form of [[urinary incontinence]] that results from engaging in high-impact or strenuous activities. Unlike [[stress incontinence]], which is defined as the loss of small amounts of urine associated with sneezing, laughing or exercising, athletic incontinence occurs exclusively during exercise.<ref name="Oregon">{{cite web |url=https://blog.oregonlive.com/runoregon/2009/12/exercise-induced_urinary_incon.html | title=Exercise-induced urinary incontinence (leaking urine while running) - it's more common than you think, and treatable| last1=Barten | first1=Kelly | date=December 21, 2009 | website=blog.oregonlive.com| access-date=January 2, 2014}}</ref> Athletic incontinence is generally thought to be the result of decreased structural support of the [[pelvic floor]] due to increased abdominal pressure during high-impact exercise. As such [[Kegel exercise|exercises]] that build and develop the pelvic floor may be an important step to counteracting athletic incontinence.<ref name=BK>{{cite journal|last=Bø|first=K|title=Urinary incontinence, pelvic floor dysfunction, exercise and sport.|journal=Sports Medicine|pmid=15233598|volume=34|issue=7|year=2004|pages=451–64|doi=10.2165/00007256-200434070-00004}}</ref> In addition to high-impact exercise, this weakening can also stem from childbirth and age.<ref name="Mayflower">{{cite web |url=http://www.sharemayflowers.org/Adolescents_&_Athletes_Stress_Urinary_Incontinence.htm | title=Stress Urinary Incontinence in the Female Athlete| last1=Robbins | first1=Laura | date=December 21, 2009 | website=blog.oregonlive.com/| access-date=January 2, 2014}}</ref> __TOC__
==Prevalence== Studies have shown that 30 percent to 40 percent of all women deal with athletic incontinence, with some studies reporting up to 69 percent of women affected.<ref name="Oregon"/><ref name="Mayflower"/><ref name="LATimes">{{cite news |authorlink=Carol Krucoff |last = Krucoff | first = Carol | date = August 30, 1999 | title = Fitness : The Bane of Female Athletes Too, Incontinence Can Be Treated | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-aug-30-he-5115-story.html | newspaper=Los Angeles Times }}</ref> Athletes in high impact sports such as gymnastics and basketball are likely to develop incontinence, with over 60 percent of subjects in each sport reporting they have had athletic leaks during activity.<ref name="Nygaard">{{cite journal |vauthors=Nygaard IE, Thompson FL, Svengalis SL, Albright JP |title=Urinary incontinence in elite nulliparous athletes |journal=Obstet Gynecol |volume=84 |issue=3 |pages=183–7 |date=September 1994 |pmid= 8041527 }}</ref>
Rarely do people with athletic incontinence seek treatment, with one study showing that over 95 percent of subjects had not sought professional advice on their condition.<ref name="PIKE">{{cite web |url=http://www.pikeathletics.com/blog/pelvic-floor-dysfuction-urinary-incontinence-and-female-athletes | title=Pelvic Floor Dysfuction, Urinary Incontinence, and Female Athletes| last1=Phillips | first1=Allan | date=January 17, 2013 | website=pikeathletics.com| access-date=January 2, 2014}}</ref>
==See also== * [[Urinary incontinence#Management|Treatment of urinary incontinence]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Urinary system symptoms and signs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Athletic incontinence}} [[Category:Symptoms and signs: Urinary system]] [[Category:Urinary incontinence]]