title: Intensive supervised versus unsupervised pelvic floor muscle training for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence: a randomized comparative trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is considered to be the first-line treatment for female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). There are few studies that have tested the efficacy of unsupervised PFMT. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of intensive supervised PFMT to unsupervised PFMT in the treatment of female SUI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two women with SUI were randomized to either supervised or unsupervised PFMT after undergoing supervised training sessions. They were evaluated before and after the treatment with the Oxford grading system, pad test, quality of life questionnaire, subjective evaluation, and exercise compliance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After treatment, there were no differences between the two groups regarding PFM strength (p = 0.20), International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form score (p = 0.76), pad test (p = 0.78), weekly exercise compliance (p = 0.079), and subjective evaluation of urinary loss (p = 0.145).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both intensive supervised PFMT and unsupervised PFMT are effective to treat female SUI if training session is provided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Catholic University of Minas Gerais (PUC), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mônica Faria
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Felicíssimo
authors.forename: Márcia Mendonça
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: Cristina Said
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Saleme
authors.forename: Rafael Zambelli
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Andrea Moura Rodrigues Maciel
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: da Fonseca
authors.forename: Agnaldo Lopes
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: da Silva-Filho
mesh_terms: D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017773:Pelvic Floor; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000628:therapy*