Intervention effects maintenance: 6-month randomized controlled trial follow-up of standard and reflexive pelvic floor muscle training

BACKGROUND: To date, the focus of pelvic floor muscle training for women suffering from stress urinary incontinence has been on voluntary contractions although involuntary pelvic floor muscle contractions are crucial to guarantee continence in high-impact situations typically triggering this condition. The authors developed 2 pelvic floor muscle home training programs, one including standard voluntary pelvic floor muscle training and one including involuntary reflexive pelvic floor muscle training. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to test 2 pelvic floor muscle home training programs regarding maintenance of effects of a previous 16-week intervention in terms of stress urinary incontinence symptoms (International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire—Urinary Incontinence short form, modified 20-minute pad test), impact on quality of life (Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Quality of Life module), and digitally assessed pelvic floor muscle strength. STUDY DESIGN: This trial was a continuation of a previously published triple-blind prospective randomized controlled trial with a 6-month evaluation endpoint with 2 intervention groups (experimental group with involuntary reflexive home pelvic floor muscle training and control group with standard voluntary home pelvic floor muscle training). RESULTS: From the originally included 96 randomized and allocated participants (experimental group=46, control group=46), 33 control and 27 experimental participants completed the 6-month follow-up. From post–16-week physiotherapy intervention to 6-month follow-up (home pelvic floor muscle training), there were statistically significant improvements in pelvic floor muscle strength (control and experimental group), and no difference in the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire—Urinary Incontinence short form and pad test, or the Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Quality of Life module Part B (control and experimental group) and Part A (control group). However, there was a statistically significant improvement in the Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Quality of Life module Part A (experimental group). At no point in time (pre, post, follow-up) was there any statistically significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: Both groups could maintain their intervention training effects. This trial investigated involuntary reflexive pelvic floor muscle training alone, which proved to be an effective alternative to standard voluntary pelvic floor muscle training for maintenance of training effects among women suffering from stress urinary incontinence.