1Department of Physical Therapy for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University
2Department of Physical Therapy, College of Medical & Health Sciences, Ahlia University, Bahrain
3Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
To compare the benefits of 12 weeks abdominal and pelvic floor muscles (PFM) strength training for mild stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in obese women.
A randomized control trial with three months follow up.
Thirty female obese patients with mild SUI.
Abdominal exercises (Abd. ex's) group (n=15) received specific exercises for transversus abdominis and internal obliqus muscles. Whereas, pelvic floor exercises (PF ex's) group (n=15) received pelvic floor exercises.
Vaginal pressure, leak point pressure (LPP) and waist hip ratio (WHR) were measured for both groups at three intervals (baseline, 12 weeks of intervention and 3months follow up i.e. 24 weeks from the start of the study).
Both abdominal and pelvic floor groups showed a significant increase in vaginal pressure after 12 weeks of intervention (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.021 respectively) and at follow up (P< 0.0001 and P < 0.009 respectively) compared to baseline. This effect was greater for Abd. ex's group at 12 weeks (P < 0.041) and at follow up (P < 0.022) when compared with PF ex's group. Also, both abdominal and pelvic floor groups showed a significant increase in LPP after 12 weeks of treatment (P < 0.001 and P < 0.008 respectively) and at follow up (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.007 respectively) compared to baseline; there were no significant differences between the two groups at these time points.
Overall, the results of this study suggest that 12 weeks of abdominal muscles strengthening training has superior effects compared to pelvic floor strength training for mild SUI in obese patients.
Urinary incontinence, obesity, pelvic floor, abdominal, exercise
