Investigation of the effectiveness of pelvic floor health education and exercise program in women with urinary incontinence

The study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of Pelvic Floor Health Education (PFHE) and pelvic floor exercise training programme in women with urinary incontinence. A total of 90 patients with symptoms of Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) (n=46) and stress-dominant Mixed Urinary Incontinence (MUI) (n=44) were included in the study. The patients divided into three groups as non-supervised group received PFHE (n=29), the supervised group who received PFHE combined with pelvic floor exercise training programme (n=32) and the control group as reference group consisting of patients who did not want to attend treatment (n=29). Evaluations were performed before the treatment and at the end of the 12th week. Pad test, Incontinence, Severity Index (ISI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Urinary Distress Inventory 6 (UDE-6), Global Pelvic Floor Bother Questionnaire (GPFBQ), 24-hour frequency-volume chart were determined as primary measurement parameters; the secondary measurement parameters were King's Health Questionnaire, Testing of Pelvic Floor Health Information, Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Questionnaire (PIKQ-UI), Pelvic Floor and PFMT Information and Beliefs Questionnaire and Globally Perceived Effect. Compared to the supervised and non-supervised groups in which all patients symptoms with SUI and MUI were included, the recovery rate was higher in the supervised group in all parameters (p<0.05) except the personal relationships sub-parameter of the King's Health Questionnaire, PIKQ-UI and ped tests of MUI patients (p>0.05). In the comparisons made with patients with SUI and MUI, it was found that the intragroup recovery rates in the parameters were similar, and there was no difference between the types of UI (p>0.05). As a result, it was concluded that PFHE combined with supervised pelvic floor exercise training programme can reduce urinary related symptoms of patients with UI and improve their quality of life by increasing pelvic floor awareness.