Reality Leaks: Meghan Benfeito on the Real Challenges Faced by Elite Athletes

MONTREAL, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Elite athletes are often seen as idols, symbols of unshakable strength. However, they are as human as everyone else. Meaghan Benfeito, professional athlete and four-time Olympic diver, reveals a reality that affects many athletes: urinary incontinence. In collaboration with TENA, she seeks to fight the stigma and speaks openly about experiencing incontinence (which is more common than many realize), showcasing her new career and life as a young mother in an inspiring documentary.

WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY: WHO ARE YOU CALLING WEAK?.

More Common Than You Think

According to several studies, many high-level female athletes report experiencing urinary incontinence, not only during sports but also in their daily lives. The numbers vary between 28% and 80%, with the highest rates observed in athletes practicing high-impact disciplines such as trampolining (80%), gymnastics (56%), ballet (43%), hockey, and track and field (30%). This type of exercise causes a sudden increase in abdominal pressure which can lead to urinary leakage, known as stress urinary incontinence*.

"I don't understand why urinary incontinence is associated with weakness. To me, it's not a reason to judge someone as weak. This situation doesn't define anyone. Personally, in diving, it happened to me often. Fortunately, I've always been surrounded by people who were open to talking about it," says Meaghan, a three-time Olympic medalist.

"Our goal with Who Are Your Calling Weak? is to open up the intergenerational conversation among women and let them know that they are not alone; incontinence is much more common symptom than people think, impacting 50% of adult women" explains Natali Nino-Rivero, Brand Manager at TENA Canada. "When we approached Meaghan, we didn't expect such frankness from her. She quickly immersed us in her world of elite diving, sharing anecdotes, precious moments, and her bladder leakage reality. She quickly became the embodiment of our consumers: a determined and confident woman who lets nothing stop her."

Now retired from diving, Meaghan teaches CrossFit at a center in Quebec. A new mother to little James, she wants to use her platform to normalize the conversation and send a message to all women. "I think the more we talk about urinary incontinence, the more comfortable we can be with the subject," she adds. "As a woman, If I can use my voice to explain that it's OK to talk about it and that it is more common than we think, I'll gladly do so."

Let's Have the Conversation

According to Google Trends, searches related to incontinence have increased by 500% over the past year. Analysis shows people are mainly searching for educational content, followed by products, treatments, and preventative measures. Adult incontinence products are of great interest, with nearly 30,000 monthly searches in Canada alone. Users are looking for products that allow them to live a life with confidence. **

*Source: National Library of Medicine*
**Google Trends 

Dominique Gagnon
[email protected]

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SOURCE TENA