title: Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy as Primary Treatment of Pelvic Floor Disorders With Urinary Urgency and Frequency-Predominant Symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) as primary treatment of urinary urgency and frequency symptoms
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective cohort study of women with urinary urgency and frequency symptoms. Participants underwent PFPT once or twice per week for 10 weeks. Symptom improvement was assessed by validated questionnaires (Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-Short Form 20 and Patient Global Impression of Improvement), voiding diaries, and subjective measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-seven participants enrolled; 21 (36.8%) withdrew or completed less than 5 weeks of PFPT. Thirty-one (54.4%) of the remaining 36 participants completed 10 weeks of PFPT. The mean age of the study group (n = 36) was 48.9 ± 15.0 years. The primary diagnoses were overactive bladder syndrome (n = 24, 66.7%) and painful bladder syndrome (n = 12, 33.3%). Women attended a median of 14.0 (interquartile range [IQR], 8.0-16.0) PFPT visits over a median of 11.9 weeks (IQR, 10.0-18.1). At baseline, the median Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-Short Form 20 score was 79.2 (IQR, 53.1-122.9), and decreased to 50.0 (IQR, 25.0-88.5; P < 0.001) after PFPT; the urinary and prolapse symptom subscales both decreased significantly. Participants reported a decrease from a median of 10.0 voids per day to 8.0 (P < 0.001). On the Patient Global Impression of Improvement, 62.5% of women reported that they were "much better" or "very much better."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PFPT with myofasical release techniques improves urinary symptoms while avoiding medications and more invasive therapies. The high dropout rates suggest that motivation or logistic factors may play a significant role in the utilization and success of this treatment option.
authors: From the *Division of Urogynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge; †Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston; ‡Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston; and §Center for Women's Health and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, Marathon Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, LLC, Newton, MA.
authors: Sonia R
authors: SR
authors: Adams
authors: Sybil G
authors: SG
authors: Dessie
authors: Laura E
authors: LE
authors: Dodge
authors: Jessica L
authors: JL
authors: Mckinney
authors: Michele R
authors: MR
authors: Hacker
authors: Eman A
authors: EA
authors: Elkadry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000503:physiopathology*; D059952:Pelvic Floor Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*