Core Muscle Strength, Endurance, and Balance in Women With Urinary Incontinence

Seda Saka32 enrolled

Overview

Urinary incontinence (UI) is defined as the involuntary loss of urine that occurs outside the individual's control and negatively affects both hygiene and social life. Research indicates that individuals with UI experience decreased core muscle strength and endurance, which may also lead to changes in balance parameters. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate core muscle strength, endurance, and balance parameters in women with UI, taking the type of UI into consideration. This study was conducted between January 2025 and April 2025 at the Urogynecology Clinic of Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital in Istanbul, with patients diagnosed with UI by a specialist physician. A total of 32 participants were included. All participants were administered a demographic assessment form; the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) to assess physical activity level; the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) and all of its subscales to evaluate the severity of symptoms associated with pelvic floor distress; urodynamic measurement; a pad test to assess the severity of UI; a perineometer device to evaluate pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength; the Sahrmann five-level core stabilization test and the Stabilizer Pressure Biofeedback Unit to assess core muscle strength; McGill's Trunk Endurance Tests for core endurance; and the Y Balance Test to assess balance.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Urinary Incontinence

Interventions

All participants were administered a demographic assessment form; the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) to assess physical activity level; the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) and all of its subscales to evaluate the severity of symptoms associated with pelvic floor distress; urodynamic measurement; a pad test to assess the severity of UI; a perineometer device to evaluate pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength; the Sahrmann five-level core stabilization test and the Stabilizer Pressure Biofeedback Unit to assess core muscle strength; McGill's Trunk Endurance Tests for core endurance; and the Y Balance Test to assess balance.

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 35 YearsMax age: 55 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosed with urinary incontinence by a specialist physician * Native Turkish speaker * Willing to participate in the study Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant * Given birth within the past year * Cooperation problems * Presence of urinary infection * Diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) stage higher than 2 * History of pelvic surgery * Presence of dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, or ear fullness (uncontrolled vestibulopathies) * Use of medications that affect balance * Resistance to digital vaginal palpation or insertion of a perineometer into the vagina * Orthopedic, cognitive, cardiac, or neurological conditions that may prevent participation in the study

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Assessment of Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength

a previously validated perineometer with good inter-rater reliability and reproducibility was used to assess pelvic floor muscle strength. a previously validated perineometer with good inter-rater reliability and reproducibility was used to assess pelvic floor muscle strength. A previously validated perineometer with good inter-rater reliability and reproducibility was used to assess pelvic floor muscle strength.