Developing the Running and Related Activities Urinary Incontinence Symptoms Questionnaire
Are you leaking urine when you run, jog, or walk?
Urine leakage during physical activity can discourage women from participating. We are in the process of developing surveys that will help to improve our understanding of how many women leak as well as the circumstances around their leaking.
Our current survey is being designed to assess the symptoms of urine leakage in women who run, jog and walk as a form of physical activity.
Click below to find out if you’re eligible to participate!
Running Induced Urinary Incontinence
Urinary Incontinence affects up to 1 in 5 Canadian women.
We are investigating the mechanisms underlying running-induced urinary incontinence in women. We need runners and sedentary women, both with and without incontinence to participate so we can learn more about urine leakage during physical activity.
No Longer Recruiting
Dyspareunia
I.e. Vulvar/vaginal pain during sexual and non-sexual activity
Upwards of 20% of women experience pain during sexual activities, or just by using a tampon or having a gynecological exam. The knowledge base of how and why this happens is appallingly low, and many women suffer in silence without treatment options. We are recruiting female participants who have no history of pain, as well as those with a specific kind of dyspareunia called provoked vestibulodynia (PVD).
Linking the Brain and the Pelvic Floor
Investigating Brain Influence on Pelvic Floor Muscles
Recruiting healthy women to test/re-test a novel, non-invasive approach to investigate brain control over the pelvic floor muscles, called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Innovating approaches to determine underlying function and dysfunction is part of what we do – but we need your help!
The Aging Pelvic Floor
Pelvic Floor Ageing Study
Are you female and over the age of 60? Are you interested in learning about your pelvic floor muscles?
Urinary Incontinence and Your Nerves
Can your nerves influence the outcome of physiotherapy for urine leakage?
We are investigating the role of nerves in the pelvic region and how well those nerves send signals to the pelvic floor muscles and genitals. Our goal is to see if nerve function plays a role in who experiences urine leakage symptom relief with a physiotherapy intervention and who does not.
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine Fibroids and Ultrasound Technology
Over half of the female population suffers from uterine fibroids, benign tumors of the uterus that can significantly lower their quality of life. Our research explores the potential of ultrasound elastography, an exciting new medical imaging modality, for aiding physicians in treatment planning for cases of uterine fibroids. We are also investigating the potential of elastography to evaluate unaffected uterine tissue in premenopausal women.
Pregnancy and Lumbopelvic Function
(Study on Hold – not currently recruiting) Return of trunk and pelvic floor muscle function after pregnancy and delivery
Pregnancy and delivery have known consequences on the pelvic floor. Women often develop low back or pelvic pain and stress urinary or fecal incontinence. However, little is known about the natural time course of recovery after delivery. Help us fill this knowledge gap!