Adding Biofeedback to Pelvic Floor Exercises doesn't improve Urinary Incontinence: BMJ

Written By : Medha Baranwal |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2020-10-16T19:29:22+05:30 | Updated On 16 Oct 2020 7:29 PM IST

Researchers have found in a new study that addition of biofeedback to pelvic floor muscle training does not improve urinary incontinence outcomes.The study has appeared in The BMJ.

The researchers conducted a Parallel group randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) plus electromyographic biofeedback or PFMT alone for stress or mixed urinary incontinence in women.

Urinary incontinence, defined as involuntary urine leakage,1 is a distressing, socially restricting condition that affects about one in three women.

In the study about 600 U.K. women with stress or mixed urinary incontinence were randomized to pelvic floor muscle training, with or without electromyographic biofeedback. In both groups, the women were offered six sessions with a continence therapist over 16 weeks plus a pelvic floor exercise regimen to perform at home. In the biofeedback group, an electromyographic device was used both with the therapist and at home; such devices use a vaginal probe to display the pelvic floor muscles' electrical activity on a screen, which is then used to guide the muscle exercises.

The primary outcome was self-reported severity of urinary incontinence (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-urinary incontinence short form (ICIQ-UI SF), range 0 to 21, higher scores indicating greater severity) at 24 months. Secondary outcomes were cure or improvement, other pelvic floor symptoms, condition specific quality of life, women's perception of improvement, pelvic floor muscle function, uptake of other urinary incontinence treatment, PFMT self-efficacy, adherence, intervention costs, and quality adjusted life years.

The researchers found that at baseline, the average incontinence severity score was roughly 12 (out of 21) in both groups. At 24 months, this had improved to approximately 8 in both groups. In addition, the groups did not differ in the proportion of women who improved or were cured.

The researchers concluded that at 2 years no evidence was found of any important difference in severity of urinary incontinence between PFMT plus electromyographic biofeedback and PFMT alone groups. Therefore routine use of electromyographic biofeedback with PFMT should not be recommended. Other ways of maximising the effects of PFMT should be investigated.

For further reference log on to:

BMJ 2020; 371

doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3719

BiofeedbackPelvic Floor ExercisesUrinary Incontinencepelvic floor muscle trainingPFMTThe BMJ

Source : The BMJ

Medha Baranwal

MSc. Biotechnology

Medha Baranwal joined Medical Dialogues as an Editor in 2018 for Speciality Medical Dialogues. She covers several medical specialties including Cardiac Sciences, Dentistry, Diabetes and Endo, Diagnostics, ENT, Gastroenterology, Neurosciences, and Radiology. She has completed her Bachelors in Biomedical Sciences from DU and then pursued Masters in Biotechnology from Amity University. She has a working experience of 5 years in the field of medical research writing, scientific writing, content writing, and content management. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751