title: The effect of outpatient physical therapy intervention on pelvic floor muscles in women with urinary incontinence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of a weekly, short-term physical therapy intervention on the pelvic floor muscles and urinary incontinence (UI) among patients of the public health system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quasi-experimental before-and-after study. Clinical history and function evaluation were performed using perineal bidigital maneuvers and perineometry. The intervention consisted of transvaginal electrical stimulation and pelvic floor kinesiotherapy. Data were analyzed using the paired t test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient or Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. A value of P<0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight-two women 55.1±10.9 years-old were evaluated. Mixed urinary incontinence (MUI), stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urge urinary incontinence (UUI) were observed in 52.4%, 36.6% and 11%, respectively. The length of UI was 6.0 years (3.0-10). Approximately 13.64 physical therapy sessions were held on average. There was no difference in perineometry measurements following the intervention (40.6±24.1 versus 41.7±25.4, P=0.098). Muscle function significantly increased (P<0.01) in the bidigital maneuver. The patients reported being continent or satisfied with the treatment in 88.9% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrated an increase in muscle function and the attainment of urinary continence or treatment satisfaction in most cases.
authors.affiliation: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, School of Nursing, Nutrition and Physical Therapy, Porto AlegreRSBrazil.
authors.forename: Mara R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Knorst
authors.forename: Thais L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Resende
authors.forename: Thaís G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: José R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Goldim
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000534:rehabilitation*