Physiotherapy for Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Review Article

Abstract

[Purpose] This review article is designed to expose physiotherapists to a physiotherapy assessment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and the treatment and possibly preventive roles that they might play for women with SUI. Specifically, the goal of this article is to provide an understanding of pelvic floor muscle function and the implications that this function has for physiotherapy treatment by reviewing articles published in this area. [Methods] A range of databases was searched to identify articles that address physiotherapy for SUI, including the Cochrane Library, Medline, and CINAHL. [Results] According to the articles identified in our databases research, greater improvements in SUI occur when women receive a supervised exercise program of at least three months. The effectiveness of physiotherapy treatment is increased if the exercise program is based on some principles, such as intensity, duration, resembling functional task, and the position in which the exercise for pelvic floor muscles is performed. Biofeedback and electrical stimulation may also be clinically useful and acceptable modalities for some women with SUI. [Conclusion] We concluded that the plan for physiotherapy care should be individualized for each patient and include standard physiotherapy interventions.

Assessment of lower urinary tract symptoms in different stages of menopause

“…These changes are also responsible for negative repercussions on the pelvic floor complex, which are aggravated by prior history of traumatic and obstetric injury13 ) . Age seems to be the primary cause of urinary disorders, causing decreases in collagen fibers, declines in bladder capacity and low postmenopausal estrogen levels14,15,16 ) .…”

“…Age-related urinary changes, such as urinary incontinence, often lead to severe psychosocial problems that have a negative effect on the quality of life of women8, 9, 16 ) . This study found that the perimenopausal period exerted a greater impact on quality of life in relation to urinary losses.…”

Ejercicio hipopresivo en el tratamiento de la incontinencia urinaria en mujeres multíparas: serie de casos

“…4 El ejercicio físico rehabilitador se ha convertido en parte del tratamiento clínico de la IU. 5 La terapia conservadora es la primera línea en la recomendaciones clínicas en el manejo de la IU, 3,6 específicamente la rehabilitación a través del entrenamiento de la musculatura del suelo pélvico tanto para la IU de esfuerzo, de urgencia o mixta. 7 Como alternativa al entrenamiento específico de la musculatura del suelo pélvico, se encuentran diferentes terapias con ejercicio físico que aun cuentan con poca evidencia en la rehabilitación de la IU.…”

Female urinary incontinence: a systematic overview and non-surgical treatment

“…56 Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT, also known as Kegel Exercises), vaginal cones, neurostimulation, biofeedback, magnetic therapy and electrical stimulation are varieties of physical therapies used in the management of female UI.…”