Do Female Runners Report More Pelvic Floor Symptoms Than Females Who Engage In CrossFit®?
Female participation in high-impact activity involving weightlifting has increased over the years, however we have yet to understand the prevalence and pathophysiology of pelvic floor dysfunction (namely urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and anal incontinence) in women participating in these activities.
Due to this lack of knowledge, many health professionals continue to provide cautious advice on weightlifting to females who may be at risk for pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), including complete avoidance. One common recommendation noticed has been the support of running as an acceptable exercise option, however at the same time recommending avoidance of weightlifting.
Because of the lack of research in this area, we started with a cross-sectional survey to compare the prevalence of PFD symptoms in women who engage in high-impact activity compared with CrossFit®-brand training (CF), an activity known to involve both running and weightlifting.
This webinar aims to review this study from the first author’s perspective and understand why we need to think critically with the advice we give for pelvic floor health.
- Do women runners report more pelvic floor symptoms than women in CrossFit®? A cross-sectional survey; https://rdcu.be/b7w5R
- Symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse in women who lift heavy weights for exercise: a cross-sectional survey; https://rdcu.be/b5Epw
About the Presenter
Lori Forner, BScH, MPhtySt, PhD candidate
Lori is a private practice physiotherapist running her own business in the field of pelvic health, and currently working on her PhD at The University of Queensland looking into the effects of weightlifting on pelvic organ support. Her background includes exercise physiology and musculoskeletal physiotherapy, with clinical interests in complex female pelvic pain, female pelvic floor dysfunction in exercise, and the use of 3D/4D transperineal ultrasound. She is an invited conference speaker, a casual lecturer at The University of Queensland, and produces and hosts The Pelvic Health Podcast – which interviews top academics and experts in the field of pelvic health. She is also slightly biased towards strength training as she quite enjoys being strong herself so she can still pick up her growing kids.
