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Pelvic Muscle Exercise for Stress Urinary Incontinence in Elderly Women
Author(s) -
Wells Thelma J.,
Brink Carol A.,
Diokno Ananias C.,
PhD Robert Wolfe,
Gillis Grace L.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1991.tb02701.x
Subject(s) - medicine , urinary incontinence , urinary leakage , physical therapy , pelvic floor muscle , phenylpropanolamine , stress incontinence , attrition , urology , anesthesia , dentistry
Purpose To compare pelvic muscle exercise to pharmacologic treatment of stress urinary incontinence, the most common cause of urine leakage reported by community‐living elderly women. Subjects Convenience sample of 157 community‐living women, aged 55 to 90 years, after completion of a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. Methods Eighty‐two subjects were randomly assigned to the exercise protocol (with a 34% attrition rate). Pelvic muscle exercises were taught and monitored for 6 months. Phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride was given to the other group in a dose of 50 mg a day, increasing to 50 mg twice a day. Main results Treatment outcomes (subjective improvement, self recorded frequency of wetting) were equally satisfactory in both groups. The response to exercises was as good in 5 months as in 6. It was also as good when the minimum recommended number of exercises per day was 80 as when it was 125. Conclusions Among those completing the protocol, pelvic exercises were beneficial in reducing stress incontinence, and the benefit was comparable to that produced by phenylpropanolamine.