Efficacy of Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises in Improving Severe Urinary Incontinence Symptoms in Women of Sulaimani City
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21928/uhdjst.v10n2y2026.pp42-51Keywords:
Urinary Incontinence, Muscle of the Pelvic Floor, Exercise, Severity, Body Mass Index, Waist–Hip RatioAbstract
Urinary incontinence (UI) is a highly prevalent disorder that significantly impacts women’s daily activities and social life. While pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) is recommended as the first-line management approach, there is increasing recognition that combining exercise-based interventions with educational support may enhance clinical outcomes. A quasi-experimental study was conducted involving 100 women, who were divided equally into two groups (n = 50). At baseline, both groups were comparable regarding age, medical history, gynecological history, and occupation (P > 0.05). Outcomes were measured and compared pre- and post-intervention. Post-intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio (P < 0.001), whereas the control group showed no significant changes. Furthermore, UI symptoms, particularly leakage triggered by coughing, sneezing, or physical activity, were almost entirely resolved in the intervention group (P < 0.001), yielding very large effect sizes. The intervention group also experienced significant reductions in anxiety, avoidance behaviors, and leakage triggers. Neither medication (42%, 34%), rectocele repair (22%, 28%), nor cystocele repair (24%, 32%) in the control and intervention groups, respectively, led to satisfactory or complete improvement. The combination of PFME and educational support effectively improves physical metrics and alleviates the symptoms and psychological burden of severe UI.
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