| Description |
Successes in the battle for gender equality have helped empower women to become more physically active through exercise and sport in recent times than any other point in history, particularly since the passage of Title IX. As a result, many women are choosing programs of high intensity with impact, some of which have only gained popularity in the last decade. These activity trends elicit different health effects, both acute and long term. This paper seeks to explore historical trends in women's physical activity (PA), pelvic floor health, and skeletal health. Using current research, it aims to identify some of the potential long term health effects for women engaging in high intensity activities. The links between PA to load bones and improve bone mineral density are well demonstrated; however, the long term effects of PA on pelvic floor health are still under investigation. The types of PA that promote bone health may or may not also promote pelvic floor health. This paper seeks to examine the most current research so clinicians, health educators and fitness professionals may understand how these conditions may affect their clients and patients so they may make the best recommendations for PA in order to facilitate long term skeletal and pelvic floor health for women of all ages. |
