Effects of Pilates Exercises Versus Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises Among Elderly Women With Urinary Incontinence

Effects of Pilates Exercises Versus Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises Among Elderly Women With Urinary Incontinence

To compare the effects of Pilates exercises versus pelvic floor muscle exercises among elderly women with urinary incontinence. The study is a single-blinded randomized clinical trial. 70 patients(calculated through PASS version 15 software) will be selected. Subjects will be screened whether they met inclusion and exclusion criteria. The participants for this study will be elderly women with urinary incontinence. The participants will be recruited from SIPMR and Civil hospital Karachi. The initial assessment will be done by Medical Consultant. Patients must fulfill inclusion criteria. Consent must be taken from each patient and samples will be collected in the given time frame and patients will be randomly assigned(through a randomization sheet) to the treatment groups. Treatment group 1 will be doing Pilates exercises and treatment group 2 will be doing Pelvic floor muscle exercises. EMS will be given to both treatment groups. A voiding diary, Stamey's urinary incontinence system, and IQOL questionnaire will be used at baseline assessment and at the end of treatment sessions. 12 treatment sessions will be given, 3 visits each week for 4 weeks. The data will be analyzed on SPSS version 21. : Non-probability purposive sampling technique will be used for selecting individuals. Percentages and frequencies will be calculated for categorical variables and parametric and nonparametric tests will be applied.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Elderly females from an outpatient setting of Sindh Institute of physical medicine and rehabilitation and civil hospital Karachi.
• Patients aged ≥60 years.
• Experienced stress or mixed urinary incontinence symptoms at least 3 times/ week for 3 months or more.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Have limited mobility (unable to move without crutches, walker, or a cane).
• Have untreated chronic constipation or have experienced any stool or mucus leakage.
• Organ prolapse surgery within the last year.
• In the last 3 months, any active urinary or vaginal infection.
• Malignancy