continence care

chronic pelvic

pelvic floor

stress urinary

floor muscle

stress incontinence

stress urinary incontinence

The Cochrane library

Background&#13;\nPelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is the most commonly used physical therapy treatment for women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). It is sometimes also recommended for mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) and, less commonly, urgency urinary incontinence (UUI).&#13;\n&#13;\nThis is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2001 and last updated in 2014.&#13;\n&#13;\nObjectives&#13;\nTo assess the effects of PFMT for women with urinary incontinence (UI) in comparison to no treatment, placebo or sham treatments, or other inactive control treatments; and summarise the findings of relevant economic evaluations.&#13;\n&#13;\nSearch methods&#13;\nWe searched the Cochrane Incontinence Specialised Register (searched 12 February 2018), which contains trials identified from CENTRAL, MEDLINE, MEDLINE In‐Process, MEDLINE Epub Ahead of Print, ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP, handsearching of journals and conference proceedings, and the reference lists of relevant articles.&#13;\n&#13;\nSelection criteria&#13;\nRandomised or quasi‐randomised controlled trials in women with SUI, UUI or MUI (based on symptoms, signs or urodynamics). One arm of the trial included PFMT. Another arm was a no treatment, placebo, sham or other inactive control treatment arm.&#13;\n&#13;\nData collection and analysis&#13;\nAt least two review authors independently assessed trials for eligibility and risk of bias. We extracted and cross‐checked data. A third review author resolved disagreements. We processed data as described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. We subgrouped trials by diagnosis of UI. We undertook formal meta‐analysis when appropriate.&#13;\n&#13;\nMain results&#13;\nThe review included 31 trials (10 of which were new for this update) involving 1817 women from 14 countries. Overall, trials were of small‐to‐moderate size, with follow‐ups generally less than 12 months and many were at moderate risk of bias. There was considerable variation in the intervention's content and duration,...

Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women