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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2021 Jan 21;18(3):928.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18030928.

Add-On Effect of Postural Instructions to Abdominopelvic Exercise on Urinary Symptoms and Quality of Life in Climacteric Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence. A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Laura Fuentes-Aparicio  1   2 , Mercè Balasch-Bernat  1   2 , Laura López-Bueno  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Add-On Effect of Postural Instructions to Abdominopelvic Exercise on Urinary Symptoms and Quality of Life in Climacteric Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence. A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Laura Fuentes-Aparicio et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the add-on effect of postural instructions to an abdominopelvic exercise program on incontinence urinary symptoms (UI symptoms) and quality of life (QoL) in climacteric women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). A randomized controlled trial was performed with a total of 40 climacteric women with SUI aged between 46 and 75 years old. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: a group performing an abdominopelvic exercise program (AEP) (n = 20) and a group performing abdominopelvic exercise with the addition of postural instructions (AEPPI) (n = 20). Primary outcome measures were UI symptoms, UI impact and QoL related to UI (UI-QoL), measured by 48 h Pad Test and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF), which were assessed at baseline, post-intervention and 3 months follow-up. Secondary outcome was patient's satisfaction measured by the 100-point Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) only after the intervention. Between-groups differences were observed in terms of UI-QoL immediately after intervention. Within-groups differences were observed between baseline to 3 months follow-up and between post-intervention to 3 months follow-up in AEPPI group (p < 0.05) for UI-QoL and UI impact. UI symptoms were improved in both groups between baseline to 3-months follow-up (p < 0.05). Patient's satisfaction was higher in the AEPPI group (p < 0.05). The addition of postural instructions to an abdominopelvic exercise program improves UI impact to QoL and patients' satisfaction in women with SUI.

Keywords: abdominal muscles; pelvic floor muscles; postural control; quality of life; stress urinary incontinence; urinary symptoms.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of participants. AEP, Abdominopelvic exercise program; AEPPI, Abdominopelvic exercise program adding postural instructions.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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