Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Apr;35(4):811-822.
doi: 10.1007/s00192-024-05728-0. Epub 2024 Feb 5.

Online Group-based Pelvic Floor Muscle Training for Urinary Incontinence in Older Women: a Pilot Study

Mélanie Le Berre  1   2 , Johanne Filiatrault  1   2 , Barbara Reichetzer  3   4   5 , Dahlia Kairy  1   6 , Caroline Lachance  3   4 , Chantale Dumoulin  7   8
Affiliations

Online Group-based Pelvic Floor Muscle Training for Urinary Incontinence in Older Women: a Pilot Study

Mélanie Le Berre et al. Int Urogynecol J. 2024 Apr.

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis: Urinary incontinence (UI) is prevalent among older women, but conservative treatment rates remain low due to limited accessibility, despite evidence supporting pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) efficacy. Group-based approaches, including online options, could offer cost-effective alternatives. Recent evidence supports the feasibility of online group-based PFMT for treating UI in older women. This pilot study now evaluated the clinical effects of this program on the number of leakage episodes per day, additional UI-specific outcomes, and other symptoms and indicators.

Methods: Community-dwelling women aged 65 and over, with stress or mixed UI, were recruited. Eligibility was assessed through in-person evaluations conducted by pelvic floor physiotherapists, who instructed participants on pelvic floor muscle contraction using digital palpation. Participants engaged in a 12-week group-based PFMT program with weekly 1-h sessions. Data were collected at three time points: recruitment (PRE1), before the first session (PRE2), and after the program (POST). Participants recorded UI symptoms using 7-day bladder diaries and standardized questionnaires on UI symptoms, quality of life (QoL), UI self-efficacy, and perceived costs. After the program (POST), participants provided feedback on their impression of improvement and satisfaction.

Results: Participants reported a significant reduction in their number of leakage episodes per day. Standardized questionnaire scores also supported the positive effects of the program on UI symptoms and QoL, self-efficacy in avoiding leakage and performing PFMT exercises, and monthly costs for continence products. Older women expressed high satisfaction with symptom improvement and the program.

Conclusions: Online group-based PFMT improved UI symptoms, QoL, UI self-efficacy, and perceived UI costs among older women. Pragmatic randomized controlled trials are necessary for further validation.

Keywords: Aged; Pelvic floor muscle training; Telerehabilitation; Urinary incontinence; Women’s health services.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Milsom I, Coyne KS, Nicholson S, Kvasz M, Chen C-I, Wein AJ. Global prevalence and economic burden of urgency urinary incontinence: a systematic review. Eur Urol. 2014;65(1):79–95. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Abrams P, Anderson KE, Apostolidis A, et al. Recommendations of the International Scientific Committee: evaluation and treatment of UI, bladder pain syndrome, POP and fecal incontinence. In: Abrams P, Cardozo L, Khoury AE, Wein A, editors. 6th Ed. International Consultation on Urinary Incontinence. 2. Plymbridge, UK: Health Publications. 2017. p. 2549–619.
    1. Johnson T II, Kincade J, Bernard S, Busby-Whitehead J, DeFriese G. Self-care practices used by older men and women to manage urinary incontinence: results from the national follow-up survey on self-care and aging. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2000;48(8):894–902. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Le Berre M, Dumoulin C. Accessibility of pelvic floor physiotherapy for treating urinary incontinence in older women in Quebec: an online survey. Physiother Can. 2022; https://doi.org/10.3138/ptc-2021-0089 . - DOI
    1. Dumoulin C, Morin M, Danieli C, et al. Group-based vs individual pelvic floor muscle training to treat urinary incontinence in older women: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Int Med. 2020;180(10):1284–93. - DOI

LinkOut - more resources