Stress Urinary Incontinence and Kinesiophobia in Women: Behavioral and Psychosocial Implications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58600/eurjther3129Keywords:
kinesiophobia, sleep quality, physical activity avoidance, stress urinary incontinenceAbstract
Objective: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common condition in women that negatively affects quality of life, physical activity, psychological well-being, and social participation. This prospective comparative study investigated kinesiophobia—conceptualized as movement avoidance due to fear of urinary leakage—and sleep quality in women with SUI.
Methods: A total of 115 women were included, comprising 56 patients with SUI and 59 age-matched healthy controls. Participants completed the Kinesiophobia Causes Scale (KCS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF).
Results: Women with SUI demonstrated significantly higher kinesiophobia scores than controls across biological, psychological, and total KCS domains. Sleep quality was also significantly poorer in the SUI group, with higher PSQI scores indicating worse overall sleep, particularly in sleep latency, sleep disturbance, and daytime dysfunction. However, no significant correlations were identified between kinesiophobia and either urinary incontinence (UI) severity or sleep quality measures.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that SUI is associated not only with physical symptoms but also with increased fear of movement and impaired sleep. Despite this, the severity of UI does not appear to directly predict kinesiophobia levels. Overall, the study highlights the multidimensional impact of SUI and emphasizes the importance of addressing psychological and behavioral factors alongside physical symptoms in clinical management.
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