Abstract

Aim of the Study. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of physiotherapy treatment, with particular emphasis on the pelvic floor muscle exercises, in a group of female patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Material and Methods. A pre–post interventional design without a control group was used. The study included 18 women aged 26 to 50 years. Women with urodynamically and gynecologically confirmed stress urinary incontinence, qualifying for conservative treatment, were included in the study. Physiotherapy was conducted by an experienced urogynecological physiotherapist. Treatment effectiveness was evaluated based on changes in UDI-6 and IIQ-7 scores from baseline to post-intervention.

Results. Statistical analysis showed significant differences before and after the physiotherapy program for the total scores obtained from the UDI-6 questionnaire, as well as for individual questions in the UDI-6 questionnaire in the studied group (p<0.001). Significant differences were also found before and after the physiotherapy program for the total scores obtained from the IIQ-7 questionnaire and for individual questions in the IIQ-7 questionnaire in the studied group (p<0.001). In the studied group, a clinically significant improvement was observed. The mean UDI-6 score decreased by approximately 75% (from 54.40 to 13.43), and the IIQ-7 score decreased by approximately 76% (from 76.11 to 18.50) after completion of the physiotherapy program, suggesting substantial effectiveness of the intervention.

Conclusions. The implemented physiotherapy program, with particular emphasis on pelvic floor muscle exercises, in the studied group of women with stress urinary incontinence, contributed to a significant reduction in the severity of symptoms and an improvement in the patients’ quality of life.

Key words

physiotherapy, pelvic floor exercises, quality of life, stress urinary incontinence