A group-based yoga therapy intervention for urinary incontinence in women: a pilot randomized trial

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of a group-based yoga therapy intervention for middle-aged and older women with urinary incontinence.

Methods: We conducted a pilot randomized trial of ambulatory women aged 40 years and older with stress, urgency, or mixed-type incontinence. Women were randomized to a 6-week yoga therapy program (n = 10) consisting of twice weekly group classes and once weekly home practice or a wait-list control group (n = 9). All participants also received written pamphlets about standard behavioral self-management strategies for incontinence. Changes in incontinence were assessed with 7-day voiding diaries.

Results: The mean (SD) age was 61.4 (8.2) years, and the mean baseline frequency of incontinence was 2.5 (1.3) episodes/d. After 6 weeks, the total incontinence frequency decreased by 70% (1.8 [0.9] fewer episodes/d) in the yoga therapy versus 13% (0.3 [1.7] fewer episodes/d) in the control group (P = 0.049). Participants in the yoga therapy group also reported an average of 71% decrease in stress incontinence frequency (0.7 [0.8] fewer episodes/d) compared with a 25% increase in controls (0.2 [1.1] more episodes/d) (P = 0.039). No significant differences in reduction in urgency incontinence were detected between the yoga therapy versus control groups (1.0 [1.0] versus 0.5 [0.5] fewer episodes/d; P = 0.20). All women starting the yoga therapy program completed at least 90% of the group classes and practice sessions. Two participants in each group reported adverse events unrelated to the intervention.

Conclusions: Findings provide preliminary evidence to support the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of a group-based yoga therapy intervention to improve urinary incontinence in women.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: Drs. Huang has previously received funding to conduct research related to urinary incontinence from Pfizer, Inc. through contracts awarded through the University of California San Francisco. None of the authors report any other potential conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1

Flow Chart of Participant Recruitment, Screening, Randomization, and Follow-up