What Is Known from the Existing Literature about Hypopressive Exercise? A PAGER-Compliant Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Integrative and Complementary Medicine
• Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Hypopressive exercise (HE) is a mind-body practice integrating breath control and stretching.
• Proponents suggest HE offers therapeutic and health benefits.
• A comprehensive overview of the existing literature on HE is currently lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review mapping and summarizing current literature on Hypopressive exercise (HE).
• To identify key knowledge gaps and future research directions in the field of HE.

Main Methods:

• Searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to July 2023.
• Included studies reporting on immediate, short-, or long-term HE practice across all populations and settings.
• Mapped literature using the Patterns-Advances-Gaps-Evidence for Practice Recommendations framework.

Main Results:

• Identified 87 studies categorized into therapeutic applications (n=56), physiological/physical responsiveness (n=22), psychological/behavioral response (n=14), and acute physiological responses (n=21).
• Key literature gaps include poor methodological design, incomplete intervention reporting, underrepresentation of male participants, and limited exploration of non-pelvic floor/abdominal muscles.
• Identified patterns in therapeutic applications and physiological responses to HE programs.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant need for high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to establish the clinical significance of HE.
• Future research should adhere to exercise reporting guidelines and utilize active control groups.
• Further investigation is required to determine the dose-response relationship and broader health applications of Hypopressive exercise.