Effect of an abdominal hypopressive technique programme on pelvic floor muscle tone and urinary incontinence in women: a randomised crossover trial

Abstract

Objectives: To test the effect of a structured abdominal hypopressive technique (AHT) programme on pelvic floor muscle (PFM) tone and urinary incontinence (UI) in women.

Design: Crossover trial with random assignment of women to one of two groups: Group 1 (AHT followed by rest) and Group 2 (rest followed by AHT).

Setting: Two cultural centres in Madrid, Spain.

Participants: Women aged 20-65 years.

Interventions: Two months of supervised AHT exercises compared with 2 months of rest.

Main outcome measures: Variation in PFM tone and score on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF)].

Results: Forty-two women were randomised to two groups (both n=21). No sequence or period effect was noted. The mean difference in PFM tone after the 2-month AHT programme was 59g/cm² [95% confidence interval (CI) 37 to 82]; the between-group difference was 83g/cm² (95% CI 50 to 116; P<0.001). After 2 months, the between-group difference in the ICIQ-SF score was 3.3 points (P<0.001). The majority of participants reported improved body image and sense of well-being.

Conclusions: A structured 2-month AHT programme for women showed short-term benefits in PFM tone and UI. In addition, study participants reported improved body image and sense of well-being, and programme satisfaction, as demonstrated by questionnaire at the end of the intervention period. Further research is needed to test the long-term effects and effectiveness of AHT compared with other PFM exercises. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT0221241.

Keywords: Abdominal hypopressive technique; Body self-perception; Pelvic floor muscle tone; Urinary incontinence; Women’s health.