Effect of Core Stability Exercises and Pelvic Muscle Exerciser Appartus on Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength, Quality of Life and Sexual Satisfaction in Women with Urinary Incontinence and Uterine Prolapse

Introduction: Nowadays, urinary incontinence is a common problem among women. Kegel and core stability exercises might be effective in the treatment of urinary incontinence and its complications. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of core stability exercises and pelvic muscle exerciser on pelvic floor muscle strength, quality of life, and sexual satisfaction in women with urinary incontinence and uterine prolapse. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted using a pretest-posttest design. The paticipants were30 women with the urinary incontinence who were selected using purposeful sampling and were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. In the pretest and posttest, participants filled out the Larson's Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire (LSSQ) and Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (IQOL), their pelvic muscle strength was measured using a pelvic biofeedback device, and intensity of urinary incontinence by a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Experimental group performed the core stability exercises for eight weeks (three sessions of 30 min per week) and used Pelvic Muscle Exerciser XFT-200. Control group continued their routine daily activities. Results: Ten people from each group completed the follow-up and were analyzed. Findings suggested that core stability exercises and using pelvic muscle exerciser had a significant effect on the avoidance of severe urinary incontinence (P<0.01), pelvic floor muscle contraction strength (P<0.01), quality of life (P<0.01), sexual compatibility (P<0.01) and quality of sexual life (P<0.01) and have there was no significant effect on the desire to have sex (P>0.05) and sexual attitude (P>0.05). Conclusion: It appears that core stability exercises in women with urinary incontinence could strengthen pelvic floor muscles and improve uterine prolapse in these people. In addition, handling the symptoms of urinary incontinence may improve the variables of quality of life in women with uterine prolapse and urinary incontinence.