Prevalence of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Symptoms in Female Marathon Runners: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Santiago Marathon, Chile.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: To determine the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms among female marathon runners and to explore their association with age, parity, and race distance.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study with non-probabilistic sampling was conducted during a large city marathon in Santiago, Chile. Women aged ≥ 18 years were recruited on-site using a self-administered digital questionnaire. Data on stress urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, vaginal bulge symptoms, and pain during sexual activity were collected. Associations with age, parity, race distance, and previous pelvic floor physiotherapy were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests.

RESULTS

A total of 366 female runners were included (mean age 36.1 ± 9.7 years). Stress urinary incontinence was reported by 33.9% of participants, vaginal bulge symptoms by 23.5%, pain during sexual activity by 20.2%, and fecal incontinence by 7.1%. Age ≥ 35 years and parity ≥ 1 were significantly associated with stress urinary incontinence. No significant association was observed between race distance and pelvic floor symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms are common among female marathon runners. While age and parity appear to be key associated factors, race distance was not associated with symptom prevalence. These results reinforce the multifactorial nature of pelvic floor dysfunction in physically active women. A substantial gap between symptom awareness and utilization of pelvic floor physiotherapy was identified, highlighting the need for improved access to care. Early screening and preventive strategies should be considered regardless of competition distance.