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Pelvic floor muscle exercises: 5 years later
1Urogynecological Unit, Academisch Ziekenhuis-Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
Urology
|January 1, 1995
Summary
Pelvic floor muscle exercises effectively treat genuine stress incontinence, with results maintained for five years. Most women found the physiotherapy beneficial and would recommend it.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Physiotherapy
- Women's Health
Background:
- Genuine stress urinary incontinence affects many women, impacting quality of life.
- Pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME) are a conservative treatment option.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term (5-year) effectiveness of PFME for genuine stress incontinence.
- To assess patient compliance and attitudes towards physiotherapy.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was sent to 48 women (mean age 57) treated for stress incontinence.
- Assessed self-reported outcomes, surgery incidence, and home exercise compliance.
Main Results:
- The cure/much improvement rate was 54% initially and 58% at 5 years.
- 15% had some improvement or relapse; 27% underwent surgery.
- Physiotherapy was well-tolerated; 73% preferred it as a first choice.
Conclusions:
- Established continence levels through PFME are maintained over 5 years.
- Severity of initial symptoms impacts outcome but not long-term maintenance.