Screening for Incidence and Effect of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in College-Aged Athletes.
Charles J Salvo, Ashlie Crewe, Dillon Estes and 2 others
PMID 38966828WHAT IT FOUND
Older athletes, swimmers, and those reporting more pelvic-floor knowledge had higher symptom scores.
Of 53 college athletes, 13 scored 3 or more; 92.3% of them had abnormal pelvic-floor muscle activity, and 69% reported embarrassment, anxiety/worry and annoyance while 77% reported personal-life impact.
Key findings
01Older age, swimming participation, and greater self-reported pelvic-floor knowledge were associated with higher Cozean scores.
02Thirteen of 53 participants scored 3 or more on the Cozean, and 92.3% of those had underactive or overactive pelvic-floor muscle activity.
03Among the 13 participants scoring 3 or more, 69% felt embarrassed, anxious/worried and annoyed, 69% reported a discernible effect on athletic performance, and 77% reported a negative impact on personal life.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample was a convenience sample of 53 athletes at one NCAA Division 3 college, so it may not represent other athletes, sports, or levels. Sports were unevenly represented, and some sports were not included, so sport-specific comparisons are limited. The Cozean questions ask about private pelvic-floor symptoms, and social or self-image pressure may have caused underreporting or misreporting. The external palpation was done without a private setting, which may have affected participant comfort and response accuracy. The second subgroup contained only 13 participants, so demographic differences within that subgroup may be unstable. The design is cross-sectional and describes associations or current status; it cannot show cause, change over time, or treatment effect. The results section reports a significant sex difference but does not state which sex had higher scores, and the sex counts are inconsistent: the text says 37 males and 17 females, while Table 1 says 37 males and 16 females for a total of 53. No pre-registered primary outcome is stated in the supplied text.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The supplied text does not state a funding source.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that pelvic-floor screening or treatment improves athletic performance or quality of life. This was a cross-sectional survey of 53 college athletes, so it reports associations and self-reported impact, not the effect of any intervention.