title: Pelvic floor muscle training to improve urinary incontinence in young, nulliparous sport students: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Urinary incontinence (UI) is prevalent in sport students. We hypothesized that pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) can improve pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength and symptoms of UI in this group of physically active women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen sport students with UI participated in this pre-post test pilot study. However, only seven of them, mean age 20.0 ± 0.8 years, completed the 8-week program. Activity level was measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). The outcome measure was the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ UI SF). PFM strength was measured by manometry as maximum voluntary contraction (MVC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vaginal resting pressure improved by 17.4 cmH(2)O (SD 6.7), p = 0.04 and MVC by 16.4 cmH(2)O (SD 5.8), p = 0.04. ICIQ UI SF score, frequency, and amount of leakage showed statistically significant improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PFMT increased PFM strength and reduced frequency and amount of UI episodes in sport students that completed an 8-week PFMT program. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these results.
authors.affiliation: IDMEC, LABIOMEP, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Thuane
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Da Roza
authors.forename: Maíta Poli
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: de Araujo
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.forename: Renato Natal
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Jorge
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bø
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mascarenhas
mesh_terms: D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008365:Manometry; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010298:Parity; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055070:Resistance Training / Q000379:methods*; D013177:Sports; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult