Lessening Incontinence by Learning Yoga

The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of recruiting women with urinary incontinence into a randomized controlled trial of a yoga therapy program.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women aged 40 years or older who report urinary incontinence for > 3 months prior to screening
• Self-report at least 7 urinary incontinence episodes per week on a screening 7-day voiding diary
• Self-report urgency-predominant, stress-predominant, or mixed-type incontinence on the screening voiding diary
• Willing to refrain from initiating medical treatments that may affect their incontinence or voiding pattern during the study period
• Capable of understanding study procedures and giving informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participation in a yoga class or other formal or organized yoga instruction in the past year
• Any prior yoga therapy directed specifically at improving urinary incontinence or pelvic floor dysfunction
• Current use of medical therapy or device (i.e. pessary) for incontinence or use within the previous month
• Currently pregnant, gave birth within the past 6 months, or planning pregnancy during the study period
• Current urinary tract infection or a history or 3 or more urinary tract infections in the preceding year
• Report history of neurologic conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, or Parkinson's disease, or a lumbosacral spine condition associated with neurological symptoms
• Unable to walk up a flight of stairs or at least 2 blocks on level ground without assistance
• Unable to get up from a supine to a standing position in 10 seconds or less and without assistance
• Severe obesity, defined as body mass index > 35 kg/m2 on screening examination
• Report history of interstitial cystitis, fistula or hole in bladder or rectum, or birth defect leading to urine leakage
• Report any history of prior anti-incontinence or urethral surgery (not including urethral dilation), pelvic cancer, or pelvic irradiation for any reason
• Report use of bladder botox, electrostimulation, bladder training, or pelvic floor exercise training (with certified practitioners) in the past 3 months
• Report other surgery to the pelvis (hysterectomy, oophorectomy, vaginal surgery, bladder surgery, colon surgery) within the past 3 months
• Report symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse
• Report history of vulvodynia, chronic pelvic pain, or pain when practicing pelvic floor exercises
• Report conditions that, in the judgment of the investigators, render potential participants unlikely to follow the protocol, including plans to move, substance abuse, significant psychiatric problems, or dementia
• Participation in another research study that involves investigational drugs or devices that could potentially confound the results of this study