An original exercise programme reduced stress urinary incontinence in pre- and postmenopausal women.

INTRODUCTION

Urinary incontinence has a negative impact on women's quality of life. One way to treat this may be to perform pelvic floor muscle exercises. This study evaluated the effects of an original exercise programme performed for 6 weeks.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The study involved premenopausal (before-menopause group exercise - BMGE) and postmenopausal (post-menopause group exercise - PMGE) groups of women. Postural pattern, pelvic type were determined prior to exercise. A 1-day subpubic test was used to determine the amount of urine lost before and after exercise. The Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn test and Wilcoxon test were used.

RESULTS

The results indicate that the original exercise programme had the effect of reducing urine loss in both groups, p < 0.0001. In the study groups, the number of deliveries had no effect on urinary incontinence, p = 0. 7021 (BMGE) and p = 0.4073 (PMGE), nor did route of delivery, p = 0.713 (BMGE) and p = 0.3613 (PMGE), pelvic type, p = 0.5079 (BMGE) and p = 0.4885 (PMGE), or postural pattern, p = 0.7331 (BMGE) and p = 0.7331 (PMGE).

CONCLUSIONS

The original exercise programme reduced stress urinary incontinence in both groups women. Postural pattern, pelvic type, number of deliveries and route of delivery had no effect on the incidence of urinary incontinence in both groups of women.