A Comparison of Home-Based Kegel Exercises Versus Clinic-Based Rehabilitation in Women With Urinary Incontinence in the Tabuk Region: A Randomized Controlled Trial (Incontinence)

August 26, 2026 updated by: Enas Elsayed Mohamed Abutaleb, University of Tabuk

Background Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common condition among women that significantly affects physical health, emotional well-being, social participation, and overall quality of life. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is widely recommended as the first-line conservative treatment for urinary incontinence. While clinic-based rehabilitation provides direct supervision by healthcare professionals, home-based Kegel exercise programs offer greater convenience and accessibility. However, limited evidence exists regarding the comparative effectiveness of these approaches among women in Saudi Arabia.

Aim The study aims to compare the effectiveness of home-based Kegel exercises and clinic-based rehabilitation programs in improving pelvic floor muscle strength, reducing urinary incontinence symptoms, and enhancing quality of life among women with urinary incontinence in the Tabuk region.

Objectives

  1. To evaluate the effectiveness of home-based Kegel exercises in women with urinary incontinence.
  2. To evaluate the effectiveness of clinic-based pelvic floor rehabilitation.
  3. To compare outcomes between both intervention approaches.
  4. To compare the outcomes of both interventions regarding pelvic floor muscle strength, urinary leakage, and quality of life.
  5. To assess participants' adherence to the prescribed exercise programs. Methodology

This study will employ a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. Eligible women diagnosed with urinary incontinence will be recruited from the Maternity and Children Hospital, Tabuk. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups:

  • Group A: Home-based Kegel exercise program.
  • Group B: Supervised clinic-based pelvic floor rehabilitation program. Both interventions will be conducted over a 12-week period. Outcome Measures

The effectiveness of the interventions will be evaluated using:

  • Perineometer measurements to assess pelvic floor muscle strength.
  • Pad Test to assess urinary leakage severity.
  • King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) to evaluate quality of life.
  • Adherence records to monitor compliance with the exercise program. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, week 8, and week 12. Data Analysis Data will be analyzed using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, Chi-square tests, and repeated-measures ANOVA will be used to compare outcomes between groups. Statistical significance will be set at p < 0.05.

Ethical Considerations Ethical approval will be obtained prior to study commencement. Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. Participation will be voluntary, confidentiality will be maintained, and participants will have the right to withdraw from the study at any time without affecting their healthcare services.

Expected Outcomes The study is expected to demonstrate improvements in pelvic floor muscle strength, urinary continence, and quality of life in both groups. The findings will provide evidence regarding whether home-based Kegel exercises can achieve outcomes comparable to supervised clinic-based rehabilitation, thereby informing future physiotherapy practice and healthcare policy.

Significance This research will contribute to the growing body of evidence on pelvic floor rehabilitation and may support the implementation of accessible, cost-effective, and evidence-based treatment options for women with urinary incontinence in Tabuk region in Saudi Arabia. The results may also guide clinicians and healthcare decision-makers in optimizing rehabilitation services and improving patient outcomes.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

100

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Saudi Arabia
    • Tabuk Region
      • Tabuk, Tabuk Region, Saudi Arabia
        • Maternity and Children Hospital in Tabuk
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female participants aged 20-50 years.
  • Diagnosed with urinary incontinence.
  • Able to understand study instructions.
  • Willing to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Delivery within the previous 3 months.
  • Gynecological surgery during the previous 3 months.
  • Lower urinary tract surgery during the previous 3 months.
  • Postmenopausal women.
  • Contraindications to pelvic floor muscle training.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Home-Based Kegel Exercises
Women diagnosed with urinary incontinence in this arm attending the Women's Department of Maternity and Children Hospital will use an AI trainer called Kegel trainer for 12 weeks focusing on strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. They will join a telegram group supervised by the caregiver to follow their interactions during the whole period.
Other: Home -Based Kegel Trainer Exercises (Kegel Trainer Application) will be used by the participants at home for training the pelvic floor muscles over 9 levels.
Kegel exercises are designed to focus on strengthening the weak pelvic floor muscles by using Kegel Trainer Application over 9 levels.
Other Names:
  • Kegel Trainer
  • Pelvic floor muscle exercises
Experimental: Clinic-Based Rehabilitation Program
Women diagnosed with urinary incontinence in this arm attending the Women's Department of Maternity and Children Hospital will be supervised by the Physiotherapist at the department for two times per week during the Kegel training for pelvic floor muscles training for 12 weeks .
Other: Clinic-Based Rehabilitation Program will consist of physiotherapist supervised pelvic floor strengthening exercises for the participant , 2 times per week for 3 months
Clinic-Based Rehabilitation Program will consist of physiotherapist supervised pelvic floor strengthening exercises for the participant , 2 times per week for 3 months

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Perineometer
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks
Pelvic floor muscle strength will be measured using a perineometer
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
long-term Pad Test
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks
Urinary leakage severity will be measured using the long-term Pad Test
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks
King's Health Questionnaire
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks
• Quality of life will be measured using the King's Health Questionnaire
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Tabuk

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

August 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

January 31, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

February 28, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 26, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 26, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 31, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 31, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 26, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • University of Tabuk (UTabuk)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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