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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Apr 25;58(9):486-493.
doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2023-107365.

Pelvic floor muscle training in female functional fitness exercisers: an assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial

Kristina Lindquist Skaug  1 , Marie Ellström Engh  2   3 , Kari Bø  4   2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Pelvic floor muscle training in female functional fitness exercisers: an assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial

Kristina Lindquist Skaug et al. Br J Sports Med. .

Abstract

Objective: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is common among females during functional fitness training, such as CrossFit. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) on SUI in female functional fitness exercisers.

Methods: This was an assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial with a PFMT group (n=22) and a control group (n=25). The PFMT group followed a 16-week home-training programme with 3 sets of 8-12 maximum pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contractions daily and weekly follow-up/reminders by phone. The primary outcome was change in a total score of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF). The secondary outcomes were perceived change of symptoms of SUI, change of PFM strength measured by vaginal manometry and symptoms of anal incontinence (AI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

Results: 47 women, mean age of 33.5 years (SD: 8.1), participated. At 16 weeks, there was a mean difference between groups of -1.4 (95% CI: -2.6 to -0.2) in the change of the ICIQ-UI-SF score in favour of the PFMT group. The PFMT group completed a mean of 70% (SD: 23) of the prescribed protocol. 64% in the PFMT group versus 8% in the control group reported improved symptoms of SUI (p<0.001, relative risk: 7.96, 95% CI, 2.03 to 31.19). There were no group differences in the change of PFM strength or AI/POP symptoms.

Conclusion: A 16-week home-training programme of the PFM led to improvements in SUI in female functional fitness exercisers. However, PFM strength and AI and POP symptoms did not improve significantly in the PFMT group compared with the control group.

Keywords: Exercise Therapy; Female; Pelvic floor; Women in sport.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Example of pressure curves of vaginal resting pressure, pelvic floor muscle strength (MVC 1–3) and muscular endurance. MVC, maximum voluntary contraction.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Flowchart of participants through each stage of the randomised controlled trial.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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