“It has become a reason for consultation”: Insep wants to lift the taboo on stress urinary incontinence

2023-12-10 12:49:16

The partnership signed between Le Parisien and Insep makes it possible to follow the training and preparation, in all its dimensions, of French athletes up to the Games and beyond. But also to tell from the inside on all our media, and on a recurring basis, the daily life of one of the most modern training centers in the world.

It is a little-known subject and still taboo in the world of high-level sport: stress urinary incontinence. A pathology which nevertheless affects a large majority of female athletes, explains Carole Maitre, gynecologist and sports doctor at the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance (Insep). And among the disciplines most affected, we find athletics, weightlifting, fencing and even gymnastics. The cause: strong abdominal pressure.

“The end of training is the most risky period,” explains the professional. There has already been an hour and a half of work. Intra-abdominal pressure and repetition of exercises mean that the pelvic floor no longer has the strength to fulfill its role of supporting the organs. Urinary leaks then occur. »

3 out of 4 athletes affected

Thus, nearly 75% of athletes are affected by urinary leakage, whatever their quantity. “Even small urinary leaks must be taken into account because they often concern young women under 25 and the vast majority without children,” insists Carole Maitre.

To alert high-level athletes, Insep, in collaboration with the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF), has just launched an awareness campaign. Since the beginning of November, a series of videos has been posted online on the Insep YouTube account and QR codes are placed in the four corners of the medical building.

3D animations show the movement and type of stress on the perineum during running, certain judo holds or even during gymnastics figures. Strengthening exercises are also offered.

Thus, the gymnast Marine Boyer, the fencer Sara Balzer and the para-athlete Mandy François-Elie agreed to appear there to detail the movements of the body in these phases where urinary leakage can occur. The result of two years of work, led by Carole Maitre, allows us to understand the mechanisms of the woman’s body in these different situations. “The 3D animations show the importance of working the transverse muscle to help the perineum better respond to this need,” she explains.

“And today, people come to see me for that,” appreciates the sports doctor from Insep. This has become a reason for consultation whereas before it was more up to me to look for the symptoms. » A sign that the messages are getting through and that prevention is making headway. And if necessary, treatment can be put in place. A physiotherapist trained to treat the perineum is then called upon.