Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the relationship among variables to assess the effect of bladder training and pelvic muscle exercise on female urinary incontinence. A total of 50 women, recruited from Incheon area through a newsletter advertisement, were assigned to 3 groups : 13 to the control group, 19 to the bladder training group and 18 to the Kegel (pelvic muscle) exercise group. Treatment protocol lasted for 8 weeks, and study measurements were taken at the beginning, 5 week and 9 week of treatment. Peak pressure, average pressure and duration time of pelvic muscle contraction were evaluated by a perineometer ; urinary incontinence scores by the urinary incontinence scale ; amount of leaked urine and ratio (the amount leaked urine/single urinary volume after a pad test) by a 30-minutes pad test ; frequency of micturition, nocturia and single urinary volume through a urinary diary. Measurements of baseline, 5 week and 9 week were analyzed using Pearson's correlation. In conclusion, the important variables to assess the effect of bladder training and pelvic muscle exercise for 4 weeks are peak pressure, average pressure, duration, leaked urine amount, ratio, frequency of micturition and single urinary volume. The important variables to assess the effect of bladder training and pelvic muscle exercise for 8 weeks are duration, leaked urine amount, ratio, frequency of micturition, frequency of nocturia and single urinary volume.