New methods of conservative treatment of female stress urinary continence are needed. We investigated whether superimposed vibration mechanosignals during Kegel exercises could reduce the amount of urinary leakage after four and six weeks of training.
Sixty women with stress urinary continence were included in this prospective cohort study. Vibration mechanosignals were superimposed during Kegel exercises using an intravaginal device. Each training session consisted of 15 maximal contractions of pelvic floor muscles for 5 seconds. The women performed training (five minutes/day) at home for four (n=60) and six weeks (n=36). Urine leakage (g) during stress test with standardized bladder volume, and contraction force (N) without (F) and with superimposed mechanical stimulations (VF) were measured at inclusion (T0 ), after four (T2 ) and six (T3 ) weeks of training using an intravaginal device. Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form were recorded at T0 , and in a sub-cohort of women (n=36) at two years follow-up.
Mean urine leakage reduced significantly from 20.5 (±12.2) g at T0 to 4.8 (±6.7) g at T2 to 1.5 (±6.7) g at T3 . After four and six weeks of training, urinary leakage was ≤4 g on stress test in 44 and 49 of the 60 women, respectively. At T0 , the mean Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form score was 13 (±2.4), and at two years follow-up, the score was 6.3 (±3.75).
Superimposed mechanical stimulation with Kegel exercises significantly reduced urinary leakage in women with stress urinary continence. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica. 2018 Jun 20 [Epub ahead of print]
Ingard Nilsen, Guillermo Rebolledo, Ganesh Acharya, Gunnar Leivseth
Women's Health and Perinatology Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT-The Artic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.