Does trunk muscle training with an oscillating rod improve urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy? A prospective randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a new therapeutic approach, using an oscillating rod to strength the pelvic floor and deep abdominal musculature and to speed up recovery of continence after radical prostatectomy. DESIGN: Prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. SETTING: Inpatient uro-oncology rehabilitation clinic. SUBJECTS: Ninety-three (intervention group (IG)) and ninety-one patients (control group (CG)) with urinary incontinence after prostatectomy were examined. INTERVENTION: All patients were randomly allocated to either standard pelvic floor muscle exercises and oscillating rod therapy (IG) or standard pelvic floor muscle exercises and relaxation therapy (CG). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Urinary incontinence (1- and 24-hour pad test) was assessed, and health-related quality of life (HRQL; Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate (FACT-P) questionnaire) was measured for all patients before and after three weeks of treatment. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-four patients (mean (SD) age: 64.1 (6.94) years) completed the study. The IG showed a significant reduction in urinary incontinence (1-hour pad test: P = 0.008, 24-hour pad test: P = 0.012) and a significant improvement of HRQL (P = 0.017) compared with CG. Continence was significantly improved in both groups (1-hour pad test: 22.6–8.5 g (IG) vs. 23.0–18.1 g (CG)/24-hour pad test: 242.9–126.7 g (IG) vs. 237.6–180.9 g (CG)). CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that a combination of conventional continence exercises and the new oscillation rod training increased abdominal and pelvic floor musculature and speeded up recovery of continence after radical prostatectomy.