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. 2022 Oct 14;10(10):2031.
doi: 10.3390/healthcare10102031.

Manual Physiotherapy Combined with Pelvic Floor Training in Women Suffering from Stress Urinary Incontinence and Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Preliminary Study

Gianluca Giordani  1 , Sara De Angelis  1 , Annunziata Isabella Parisi  1 , Andrea Cosimo D'amico  1 , Moira Di Re  1 , Chiara Liumbruno  1 , Federica Tamburella  1 , Danilo Lisi  2 , Giovanni Galeoto  3 , Marco Tramontano  1
Affiliations

Manual Physiotherapy Combined with Pelvic Floor Training in Women Suffering from Stress Urinary Incontinence and Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Preliminary Study

Gianluca Giordani et al. Healthcare (Basel). .

Abstract

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) represents one of the most common subtypes of urinary incontinence (UI) reported by women. Studies have shown an association of SUI with nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP). The primary aim of the present study was to explore the long-term effects of a combined treatment of manual techniques and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training in women suffering from SUI associated with NSLBP. The secondary aim was to evaluate which manual approach combined with PFM rehabilitation is more effective in improving symptoms related to SUI and in reducing pain perception related to NSLBP. Twenty-six patients suffering from SUI associated with chronic NSLBP were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the postural rehabilitation group (PRg) or the spinal mobilization group (SMg). Both groups performed a manual approach combined with PFM rehabilitation. All patients were evaluated before the treatment (T0), after 10 sessions (T1) and after 30 days from the end of the treatment (T2). The results showed an improvement in both groups in all of the investigated outcomes. Combining manual therapy and PFM training within the same therapy session may be useful for improving both SUI and NSLBP and increasing the quality of life of women suffering from SUI associated with NSLBP.

Keywords: nonspecific low back pain; pelvic floor rehabilitation; physiotherapy; stress urinary incontinence; women.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of the study design.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Postural rehabilitation intervention exercises. (a) Postural rehabilitation first posture; (b) Postural rehabilitation second posture.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Spinal mobilization intervention exercises. (a) Spinal mobilization exercise 1; (b) Spinal mobilization exercise 2.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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