Our goal is to provide an update on the results of pelvic floor rehabilitation in the treatment of urinary incontinence and genital prolapse symptoms.
Pelvic floor muscle training allows a reduction of urinary incontinence symptoms. Pelvic floor muscle contractions supervised by a healthcare professional allow cure in half cases of stress urinary incontinence. Viewing this contraction through biofeedback improves outcomes, but this effect could also be due by a more intensive and prolonged program with the physiotherapist. The place of electrostimulation remains unclear. The results obtained with vaginal cones are similar to pelvic floor muscle training with or without biofeedback or electrostimulation. It is not known whether pelvic floor muscle training has an effect after one year. In case of stress urinary incontinence, supervised pelvic floor muscle training avoids surgery in half of the cases at 1-year follow-up. Pelvic floor muscle training is the first-line treatment of post-partum urinary incontinence. Its preventive effect is uncertain. Pelvic floor muscle training may reduce the symptoms associated with genital prolapse. In conclusion, pelvic floor rehabilitation supervised by a physiotherapist is an effective short-term treatment to reduce the symptoms of urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse.
Written by:
Thubert T, Bakker E, Fritel X. Are you the author?
Service de gynécologie-obstétrique et médecine de la reproduction, hôpital Antoine-Béclère, 157, rue de la Porte-de-Trivaux, 92140 Clamart, France; Unité recherche, HE L-de-Vinci, Parnasse-ISEI, 84, avenue Mounier, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgique; Service de gynécologie-obstétrique et médecine de la reproduction, CHU de Poitiers, 2, rue de la Milétrie, 86000 Poitiers, France.
Reference: Gynecol Obstet Fertil. 2015 May;43(5):389-94.
doi: 10.1016/j.gyobfe.2015.03.026
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 25921509
Article in French.