The Effect of Pelvic Floor Muscles Exercise on Quality of Life in Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence and Its Relationship with Vaginal Deliveries: A Randomized Trial

Abstract

Introduction Urinary incontinence (UI) is a health problem affecting the quality of women's lives (QOL) at various life stages. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) can be caused by previous vaginal deliveries and is especially likely to occur in the perimenopausal period. The most commonly recommended first-choice treatment methods involve exercises for the pelvic floor muscles (PFM). The aim of this study was to assess the impact of isolated PFM exercises and combined training of the PFM and the m.transversus abdominis (TrA) muscle on the QoL of patients with SUI with regard to the number of vaginal deliveries. Material and Methods 137 women with SUI were qualified for analysis (mean age 53,1 ± 5,5). To assess the effectiveness of PFM training QOL questionnaire was used (ICIQ-LUTS qol). PFM training for groups A (PFM+TrA) and B (PFM) was intended for 12 weeks. Statistica v. 12.0 PL, StatSoft, USA, was used for statistical calculations. Results The analysis demonstrated that conservative treatment based on the A training program (PFM + TrA) yielded statistically significantly better results than the B program (PFM), with the improvement observed in such QoL domains as the performance of household duties, physical activity and travelling, social limitations, emotions, sleep problems and fatigue, the frequency of changing panty liners, fluid intake control, and embarrassment. Conclusion Both the combined training of the PFM and the synergistic (TrA) muscle and the isolated PFM exercises improve the QoL of women with SUI. Nonetheless, the combined PFM and TrA muscle physiotherapy is more effective. The exercises for the PFM and the synergistic muscle give better results in women who have given birth fewer than three times than isolated PFM exercises.

Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy and Women’s Health

“…Pelvic Floor physical therapy interventions are not isolated to training of intrapelvic musculature and benefit may be extended when paired with strength training of accessory muscles, such as the gluteal muscles, hip adductors and anterior abdominal wall musculature. Strengthening of the transverse abdominis (TrA)-in addition to intrapelvic musculature-has been shown to decrease effects of SUI and improve quality of life (QOL) in multiparous women [21]. Although pelvic floor physical therapy is available as an option for treating urge urinary incontinence, this is rarely considered in isolation to address and counteract the detrusor contractions [17,22].…”

Rehabilitation of Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Review Article

“…Ptak M et al (2019) compared the Pelvic Floor Muscles (PFM) exercises in isolation and combined with Transversus Abdominis (TrA) training in subjects with SUI [12]. The results demonstrated that PFM + TrA training yielded significantly better results than the (PFM) program.…”

“…If SUI is associated with coughing or sneezing, it is categorized as grade I, grade II if SUI is associated with running or picking up heavy objects, and grade III, if the subject has UI while walking or climbing stairs [11]. Overactive bladder syndrome is another urinary problem characterized by urinary urgency accompany with or without urge incontinence, frequency, and nocturia [12,13].…”

“…According to previous studies, WBVT increases muscle strength [19,20], induces muscle hypertrophy [11], improves proprioceptors [12], enlarges slow-and fasttwitch fibers, and promotes hormonal changes [10]. WBVT also improves muscle weakness, especially in patients with different chronic diseases [13][14][15][16][17][18].…”

The effect of pelvic floor muscle exercises on sexual function in women with multiple sclerosis: a pre – post intervention clinical trial

“…One of the methods for strengthening the PFMs is a pelvic floor exercise that is also known as Kegel exercises [14,15]. Kegel exercises involve repeated voluntary and selective contraction and relaxation of specific muscles in the pelvic floor [16][17][18].…”