Early adulthood and current physical activity and their association with symptoms of pelvic floor disorders in middle-aged women: An observational study with retrospective physical activity assessment

Objective: To investigate associations of early and middle adulthood physical activity (PA) with symptoms of pelvic floor disorders (PFDs), i.e. stress urinary incontinence (SUI), urge urinary incontinence (UUI), faecal incontinence (FI), constipation or defecation difficulties (CDDs) and feeling of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) among middle-aged women. Design: A cross-sectional, observational study with retrospective PA assessment.Setting: University Research Laboratory. Sample: A random population sample of 1098 Finnish women aged 47- 55 years.Methods: Early adulthood PA, current PA, and demographic and gynaecological variables were assessed using self-report questionnaires. Logistic regression analyses were applied to study associations of PA variables with symptoms of PFDs. Potential confounding effects of demographic and gynaecological variables were controlled in multiple logistic regression models. Main Outcome Measures: Structured questionnaire-assessed retrospective PA assessment at the age of 17- 29 years, current PA at middle age, and prevalence of symptoms of CDD, FI, POP, SUI and UUI.Results: Current PA was not independently associated with the occurrence of the symptoms of PFDs. Middle -aged women with an early adulthood history of competitive sports were more likely to experience symptoms of UUI (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.10-4.24, p = 0.025) but not symptoms of SUI, FI, CDD or POP, whereas women with a history of regular PA were more likely to experience symptoms of FI (OR 4.41, 95% CI 1.05-18.49, p = 0.043) but no other symptoms of PFDs.Conclusions: Competitive sports during early adulthood may increase the risk of UUI in middle age. Regular PA during early adulthood may increase the risk of FI.

Automated summary

This study investigated the associations between early and middle adulthood physical activity (PA) and symptoms of pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) among middle-aged women. The results showed that competitive sports during early adulthood were associated with an increased risk of urge urinary incontinence (UUI) in middle age, while regular PA during early adulthood was associated with an increased risk of fecal incontinence (FI).