title: Does pelvic floor muscle training abolish symptoms of urinary incontinence? A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether symptoms of urinary incontinence is reduced by pelvic floor muscle training, to determine whether urinary incontinence can be totally eliminated by strengthening the pelvic floor muscle to grade 5 on the Oxford scale.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective randomized controlled clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient urogynecology department.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred thirty cases with stress and mixed urinary incontinence.
  
  
  METHODS
  All participants were randomly allocated to the pelvic floor muscle training group or control group. A 12-week home based exercise program, prescribed individually, was performed by the pelvic floor muscle training group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urinary incontinence symptoms (Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7, Urogenital Distress Inventory-6, bladder diary, stop test and pad test) were assessed, and the pelvic floor muscle strength was measured for (PERFECT testing, perineometric and ultrasound) all participants before and after 12 weeks of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pelvic floor muscle training group had significant improvement in their symptoms of urinary incontinence (P=0.001) and an increase in pelvic floor muscle strength (P=0.001, by the dependent t test) compared with the control group. All the symptoms of urinary incontinence were significantly decreased in the patients that had reached pelvic floor muscle strength of grade 5 and continued the pelvic floor muscle training (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study demonstrated that pelvic floor muscle training is effective in reducing the symptoms of stress and mixed urinary incontinence and in increasing pelvic floor muscle strength.
authors.affiliation: Dokuz Eylül University, School of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Turkey.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Celiker Tosun
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Division of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Turkey fztebrukaya@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaya Mutlu
authors.affiliation: Ege University, Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Turkey.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ergenoglu
authors.affiliation: Ege University, Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Turkey.
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Yeniel
authors.affiliation: Tepecık Educaution and Research Hospital, Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Turkey.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tosun
authors.affiliation: Dokuz Eylül University, School of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malkoc
authors.affiliation: Ege University, Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Turkey.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Askar
authors.affiliation: Ege University, Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Turkey.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Itil
mesh_terms: D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017773:Pelvic Floor; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Pelvic floor muscle training; pelvic floor muscle strength; urinary incontinance symptoms