Lower urinary tract symptoms, including urgency, nocturia, and urinary incontinence (UI), are associated with alterations in gait implicated in increased fall risk. Walking in wet continence containment products (pads) may introduce an additional mechanical factor influencing gait. This study aimed to examine changes in gait patterns associated with wearing pads. Community-dwelling women aged ≥60 years with or without UI were able to participate in this exploratory cross-over study. Each completed four gait assessments while wearing wet and dry pull-ups or briefs. Pads were pre-filled with warm water to 70% of manufacturer-reported (Rothwell index) capacity. Gait data were collected using validated inertial sensor apparatus. Participants performed a Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and a 10-metre walk under each condition. Gait parameters included gait variability (GV), stride time variability (STV), stride velocity variability (SVV), and cadence. Ten women completed the study (mean age 75.1 years, SD 7.1; range 65–87). Consistent trends were observed between wet and dry conditions. The wet brief condition showed the highest GV (46.80%, SD 17.35), SVV (34.61 m/s, SD 11.83), and STV (30.99 ms, SD 7.44). Cadence was lowest in the wet brief condition (98.07 steps/min, SD 23.73). Wet pull-ups were associated with more modest changes. This exploratory study provided empirical evidence that walking in soaked pads may result in gait changes associated with increased falls risk. These findings add a novel dimension to the understanding of contained UI's effect on mobility and fall risk.
Mohamed et al. (Sun,) studied this question.