623 MEP078 – Female rugby union players knowledge of pelvic floor muscles influences risk of urinary incontinence

AbstractBackground Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) occurs primarily without pelvic floor muscles contracting. However, the influence of players knowledge of pelvic floor muscles and the influence this has upon prevalence across playing levels is unknown. Objective The aim was to determine the influence of knowledge of pelvic floor muscles on players reporting rugby-related SUI.Design Observational, cross-sectional study.Setting Amateur and professional Rugby Union. Participants 396 female rugby union players (age 28 ± 8 years, mass 80 ± 18 kg, height 1.90 ± 0.19 m, playing years 7 ± 6 years) from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.Interventions An electronic questionnaire, developed according to the CHERRIES guidelines, was distributed via social media and directly through member lists. Independent variables were the players playing level, split into three categories, amateur, club and national.Main Outcome Measures Rugby-specific SUI (leaking playing rugby), pelvic floor education and undertaking pelvic floor muscle training.Results Playing at a higher standard (national) compared to amateur decreased the odds of a player experiencing rugby-related SUI (OR: 0.44 (0.20–0.97)). There was a significant association between playing level and having heard of the pelvic floor muscle (χ2(2) = 6.27, p = < 0.05). With higher playing level being associated with awareness of the pelvic floor muscles. Despite a higher number of national players having heard of the pelvic floor muscles, there was no association in playing level and having undertaken pelvic floor muscle training (χ2(2) = 2.91, p = > 0.05).Conclusion Greater awareness of the pelvic floor muscles was observed in national level rugby players, who also have lower odds of experiencing rugby-related SUI. However, exposure to pelvic floor muscle training was similar across playing levels, suggesting other factors contribute to greater awareness and prevalence of SUI.