Pelvic floor muscle exercise and training for coping with urinary incontinence

Sung Tae Cho, Khae Hawn Kim, Sung Tae Cho, Khae Hawn Kim

Abstract

The pelvic floor consists of levator ani muscles including puborectalis, pubococcygeus and iliococcygeus muscles, and coccygeus muscles. Pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) is defined as exercise to improve pelvic floor muscle strength, power, endurance, relaxation, or a combination of these parameters. PFME strengthens the pelvic floor muscles to provide urethral support to prevent urine leakage and suppress urgency. This exercise has been recommended for urinary incontinence since first described by Kegel. When treating urinary incontinence, particularly stress urinary incontinence, PFME has been recommended as first-line treatment. This article provides clinical application of PFME as a behavioral therapy for urinary incontinence. Clinicians and physical therapist should understand pelvic floor muscle anatomy, evaluation, regimen, and instruct patients how to train the muscles properly.

Keywords: Exercise; Pelvic floor muscle; Training; Urinary incontinence.

Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Copyright © 2021 Korean Society of Exercise Rehabilitation.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Pelvic floor muscles of female.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Biofeedback equipment with monitors for visual feedback. (A) Equipment chair. (B) Biofeedback graph showing pelvic floor muscle contraction.

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