Effects of a 12-weeks pelvic floor exercises program on sports performance of female athletes: An exploratory randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of a 12-week pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) program on sports-related quality of life (sQoL) and countermovement jump (CMJ) in female athletes with pelvic floor dysfunctions (PFD). DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial assigning female athletes with PFD to exercise (EG), exercise with biofeedback (EBG), or control (CG). SETTING: App-based intervention including education, PFMT, and supervision. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-nine female athletes with PFD. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Impact of PFD (urinary incontinence -UI-, anal incontinence -AI-, pelvic pain, prolapse) on sQoL, CMJ, and change in training tolerance, assessed pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: Thirty-five athletes completed the study. Post-intervention, EG and EBG reported lower sQoL impact than CG (p < 0.05), particularly referring UI (d = 1.1). Lower impact regarding AI and pain only occurred within EG and EBG. In CMJ, mean power was higher in EBG than CG (p = 0.044; d = 1.1), without differences for the rest of variables. Training tolerance was improved by a greater proportion of PFMT participants, without between-group differences (p = 0.098). CONCLUSIONS: A 12-week app-based PFMT may reduce the perceived impact of PFD on sQoL in female athletes. In CMJ, biofeedback showed higher mean power only compared with control. Future studies should confirm these effects in larger, sport-specific cohorts.