Does multiple-component intensive pelvic floor muscle training decrease muscle fatigue and symptoms in women with...

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Neurophysiology

Background:

• Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common condition affecting women's quality of life.
• Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is a primary conservative treatment for UI.
• Neuroplasticity-based rehabilitation models are emerging for improved treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of a novel multiple-component intensive pelvic floor muscle training (MCI-PFMT) protocol on muscle fatigue and UI symptoms.
• To evaluate the impact of MCI-PFMT on pelvic floor and abdominal muscle function.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 49 women with mixed urinary incontinence.
• Intervention group: supervised MCI-PFMT (5 days/week for 1 week).
• Control group: bladder training and standard home-based PFMT.
• Outcome measures included symptom questionnaires, bladder diaries, pad tests, EMG, ultrasonography, and the PERFECT scale.

Main Results:

• Significant symptom reduction observed in the MCI-PFMT group compared to the control group (p < 0.05).
• Increased average and peak work values for pelvic floor, transversus abdominis, and internal oblique muscles in both groups.
• Decreased maximum voluntary contraction values for these muscles (p < 0.05), with a smaller decrease in the MCI-PFMT group (9.6%) versus the control group (12.7%).

Conclusions:

• The MCI-PFMT protocol may induce pelvic floor and abdominal muscle fatigue.
• MCI-PFMT shows potential effectiveness in reducing urinary incontinence symptoms in women.
• Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and optimize the protocol.