title: A pelvic floor fitness program for older women with urinary symptoms: a feasibility study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the feasibility of an adapted pelvic fitness and educational program to control urinary incontinence (UI) and overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms in women older than 65 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Feasibility study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Residential independent-living facilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three study subjects, limited to women 65 years and older residing in or using an independent-living facility, who self-reported that they had symptoms of UI or OAB.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants volunteered to participate in a 6-week pelvic fitness class. Classes were held at 3 different independent-living sites. Forty-three women in 4 different treatment groups with 9-15 women per group completed the adapted group pelvic fitness and education instruction, which was provided twice a week for 6 weeks. At one site, in addition to the treatment group, an education-only group met; in this group, 14 women received an alternate intervention consisting of only one educational session and a booklet presenting the didactic content without specific muscle isolation or training.
  
  
  METHODS
  In addition to demographics, standardized assessments using validated instruments were obtained before the first class and after the last class, including general health, self-reported bladder function, quality of life, and the timed up-and-go test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most participants (97%) were white, with a mean age of 83 years (range, 67-95 years). Most participants in the treatment groups (83%) reported symptom improvement. Statistically significant improvements in OAB and bladder symptoms were found after 6 weeks in the treatment groups, based on visual analog scale scores (P = .0058) for bothersomeness of bladder symptoms, the total score of the Urogenital Distress Inventory, Short Form (P ≤ .0001), and the total score of the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, Short Form (P = .0036).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A group pelvic floor fitness program combined with pelvic health education is a promising approach to reduce urinary symptoms and improve the quality of life of older women living with OAB or UI symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. sheila_dugan@rush.edu
authors.forename: Sheila A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Dugan
authors.forename: Missy D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Lavender
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hebert-Beirne
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brubaker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*