title: Long-term effect of pelvic floor exercises on female urinary incontinence.
abstract: In order to assess the permanent effect of pelvic floor exercises on female stress incontinence, 76 incontinent women, referred for incontinence surgery, underwent a 3-month exercise programme conducted by an experienced physiotherapist. The patients were followed up for 1 year. At the last assessment 30% were cured and 17% improved. Altogether 47% avoided surgery. No relapses were seen during the follow-up period. Patients with mild incontinence benefited from intensified training, since 72% could expect to be cured, while patients with severe incontinence and no immediate effect did not benefit from further exercises. Patients with a positive hormone status and those with normal weight had a significantly higher cure rate. The subjective results were confirmed by the 24-h pad test. Anal pressure profilometry was a valid method for instruction and objective control of pelvic floor function. It was concluded that pelvic floor exercises should precede surgery, since exercises had a permanent effect in half of the patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mouritsen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frimodt-Møller
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Møller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D010388:Pelvis; D011312:Pressure; D013997:Time Factors; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000534:rehabilitation*