Association between grip strength and stress urinary incontinence of NHANES 2011–2014

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between grip strength (GS) and relative grip strength (rGS) with the prevalence and severity risk of SUI. METHODS: Female patients were retrieved from the NHANES 2011–2014. GS was measured using a digital hand dynamometer, rGS was defined as grip strength divided by BMI. Samples were classified into four groups based on quartiles of GS and rGS distribution (Q1-Q4)。Logistic regression models were established to detect the relationship between GS or rGS and SUI. The potential bias of baseline variables between SUI and non-SUI groups was controlled by performing the propensity score matching (PSM). RESULTS: A total of 4263 samples were included, with 3085 (85%) people in non-SUI group and 1178 (27.6%) people in SUI group. GS and rGS levels of people without SUI were higher than that of SUI patients. Monthly SUI patients’ GS and rGS levels were higher than weekly SUI patients’ level. Logistic regression analysis showed that risks of prevalence and severity of SUI decreased with increasing levels of GS and rGS. rGS was found to have a stronger association with SUI than GS [prevalence: GS: Q4 vs. Q1: aOR = 0.633, 95%CI = 0.508–0.789, p < 0.001; rGS: Q4 vs. Q1: aOR = 0.365, 95%CI = 0.290–0.459, p < 0.001; severity: GS: Q4 vs. Q1: aOR = 0.727, 95%CI = 0.600–0.881, p = 0.001; rGS: Q4 vs. Q1: aOR = 0.371, 95%CI = 0.282–0.488, p < 0.001]. The results of PSM confirmed that GS and rGS were correlated with SUI. CONCLUSIONS: Lower levels of GS and rGS are associated with an increased prevalence and severity risk of SUI. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12905-023-02628-1.