Background and Aim: Core stability is the ability of the lumbopelvic- hip complex to prevent buckling of the vertebral column and return it to equilibrium following perturbation. It has been demonstrated that trunk muscle activity occurs before the activity of the prime mover of the limb. Core stability is seen as being pivotal for efficient biomechanical function to maximize force generation and minimize joint loads in all types of activities ranging from running to throwing. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between core stability and lower extremity function in female athletes.

 Materials and Methods: Thirty volunteer female athletes with mean age (SD)=23(3.8) years old, participated in this study. They performed two series of tests: core stability tests (hip isometric abduction and lateral rotation, double leg lowering, trunk extension – flexion and left and right lateral flexion endurance, and double leg lowering), and lower extremity function tests (star excursion balance tests in three directions, vertical jump, single and triple hopping, stairs sprinting, 6 m hopping, and shuttle run).

Results: The results of this study showed that the strength of hip isometric abduction with stairs sprinting, 6 m hopping , and with star excursion balance test in three directions had r=-0.430, r=-0.367and r=0.515 respectively and all significant. Also , right lateral flexion endurance with shuttle run (r=0.367) , double leg lowering with vertical jump (r=0.42), trunk extension endurance with vertical jump (r=-0.404) ,were significantly correlated. In the other items there were no relationship between core stability and lower extremity function (p>0.05).

Conclusion: There is a relationship between core stability and lower extremity function but studies have not supported them. However, the data showed that core stability is moderately too weak related to lower extremity function, core stability could not be measured with these tests and they are not good indicators for lower extremity function. Evaluation of the core should be dynamic, and compromise assessment of the specific functions which specialize for athletic groups.

Background and Aim: Behavior of people in the face of disease and help seeking is very different.  Considering the high prevalence of urinary stress incontinence in female athletes, knowing their experiences of help seeking and identify of their needs,  can be used to plan treatment strategies based on the needs of female athletes with stress urinary incontinence and shifting them to receive health care and rehabilitation services. The purpose of this study is to understand experiences of this group of female athletes from help seeking.

Materials and Methods: This is a phenomenological study and sampling was purposeful and performed after identifying professional female athletes by oral questions. Data gathering was semi-structured deep interview. The results of 29 individual and one focus group interview were analyzed using Colaizzi method.

Results: According to the results of this study, the findings were categorized to 3 themes and 11 sub-themes. Themes are self-treatment, do not help seek and use of prevention strategies.

Conclusion: Female athletes with stress urinary incontinence do not have correct awareness of available treatment for prevention and rehabilitation care of this condition and consider this condition as a part of sport injuries due to professionalism and they have less incentive to seek its cause and treatment.

Key words: Stress urinary incontinence, Experience of help seeking, Female athlete