EFFECTIVENESS OF RIDING ON THE PELVIC FLOOR CONDITION: PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF COMPARISON BETWEEN SUBJECTS WHO PRACTICE HORSEBACK RIDING AND SUBJECTS WHO DO NOT PRACTICE IT

Abstract

 Introduction: pelvic floor dysfunctions affect approximately 10% of women between 20 and 39 years old, giving rise to serious problems of urinary incontinence, chronic pain, sexual dysfunctions, prolapses, decrease of self-es-teem and quality of life, etc. As for its treatment, it is mainly base on the strengthening of the musculature of this area. Riding is the practice of riding a horse. It can produce effects on posture, joints, balance, etc., and may interfere with the pelvic floor musculature. Objective: to compare the effects of horse riding on the pelvic floor in women who practice horse riding regularly and in women who do not practice horse riding. Material and method:
Preliminary observational study. The sample consisted of 21 subjects (12 women who do not ride horses and 9 women who ride horses) who met the following inclusion criteria: woman, healthy, between 30-55 years old. To assess the conditions of the pelvic floor the following questionnaires validated in their Spanish version were used:
he Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20), the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ-7) and the Questionnaire for Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis (QUID). Results: Statistically significant results on the influence of riding on the pelvic floor condition were not found in any of the three questionnaires. (PFDI-20: p = 0.55; PFIQ-7: p = 0.97;and QUID: p = 0.34). Conclusion: there is no evidence about the effects of horse riding on the pelvic floor musculature condition. The results should be taken with caution, due to the sample size. Future studies with larger samples sizes are necessary.