Urinary incontinence is a prevalent condition that can affect women of any age. There is level 1 evidence that pelvic floor muscle training should be first-line treatment for incontinence in women. New research suggests a surprising but more efficient way to deliver this training.
Professor Kari Bø is a Norwegian physiotherapist with serious credibility in the world of pelvic floor muscle training. She was awarded the highest honour from the World Confederation for Physical Therapy for her career of research into women's health.
Professor Bø was invited to write a topical review of pelvic floor muscle training for female urinary incontinence, which deftly summarises this field of research, including the most recent development: group pelvic floor muscle training.
Professor Bø reviews the evidence from ten head-to-head trials of individual versus group pelvic floor muscle training, which clearly have equally beneficial effects. This therefore offers a more efficient way to deliver this important intervention to more women.
This topical review by covers from first principles (anatomy, normal function, causes and prevalence of dysfunction) through to the evidence for all forms of pelvic floor muscle training, a practical example of the group class format, and directions for future research.
> From: Bø, J Physiother 66 (2020) 147-154 . All rights reserved to Australian Physiotherapy Association. Click here for the online summary.
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