Therapeutic effect of proprioception training combined with pelvic floor electrical stimulation biofeedback on postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES

Pelvic floor tendons, fascia, and ligaments are rich in proprioceptors. Proprioceptive training can stimulate local proprioceptors to increase neuromuscular responses and promote the recovery of muscle and fascial ligament functions. This study aims to observe the therapeutic effect of proprioception training combined with pelvic floor electrical stimulation biofeedback on postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), and to provide evidence for the treatment of postpartum PFD.

METHODS

A total of 108 puerpera with postpartum PFD were selected and divided into a control group ( n =50) and an experimental group ( n =58). Puerpera in the control group received pelvic floor electrical stimulation biofeedback treatment. Puerpera in the experimental group received proprioception training combined with pelvic floor electrical stimulation biofeedback treatment. After one course of treatment, the pelvic floor muscle strength, muscle endurance, repetitive contraction ability, rapid contraction ability, percentage of normal vaginal posterior wall elevation, percentage of normal lower abdominal muscle synergistic contraction, percentage of normal reflex contraction during coughing, incidence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and staging of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) were compared before and after treatment between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

After treatment, all indexes of the 2 groups were better than those before treatment; the pelvic floor muscle strength, muscular endurance, repetitive contraction ability, and rapid contraction ability of the experimental group were better than those of the control group (all P <0.05); the percentage of normal lower abdominal muscle synergistic contraction and percentage of normal reflex contraction during coughing of the experimental group were higher than those of the control group (both P <0.05); the incidence of SUI in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group ( P <0.05); the percentage of POP staging II in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group ( P <0.05). There was no significant difference in the percentage of normal posterior vaginal wall elevation after treatment between the 2 groups ( P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Proprioception training combined with pelvic floor electrical stimulation biofeedback could improve the rehabilitation effect of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction and promote the recovery of pelvic floor function, which possesses important clinical application value.