Elderly Health Journal (Jun 2024)
The Effect of Eight-Eeek Kegel Training on Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Females with Urinary Incontinence
Abstract
Introduction: Urinary incontinence (UI) is the leakage of urine which is often uncontrollable and can negatively impact on the quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an eight-week of Kegel exercise as a complementary therapy on QoL in postmenopausal females with UI. Methods: The study design was a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test with a control group trial. The participants were Iranian women aged between 60 to 95 years with UI problems referring to medical centers in Najafabad city in Isfahan Province, Iran. Twenty four female UI patients were recruited and randomly divided into Kegel exercise (n = 12) and control group (n = 12). The Kegel group received exercise three times a week for eight-week, and the control group continued their routine life. The Questionnaire for Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis and the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire were used for data collection. The variables were measured before and after the Kegel protocol in both groups. Descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance were used to assess variable differences between groups (p < 0.05). Results: The mean age of UI patients was 70.83 ± 7.61 years old. Analysis of variance demonstrated a significant decrease in stress urinary incontinence symptoms (F = 61.88, p = 0.01), urge urinary incontinence symptoms (F = 111.56, p = 0.01), and UI symptoms (F = 88.20, p = 0.01), and significant increase in physical health (F = 28.93, p = 0.01), psychological health (F = 15.35, p = 0.01), social relationships (F = 18.83, p = 0.01), environment health (F = 155.51, p = 0.01), QoL (F = 132.07, p = 0.01) in Kegel exercise group. Conclusion: Kegel exercise can be an effective complementary therapy for improving QoL in postmenopausal female suffering from UI. Healthcare providers should consider recommending Kegel exercise as part of comprehensive treatment approach for postmenopausal female with UI to help alleviate symptoms and enhance their overall QoL. Corresponding Author: Elham Eftekhari View Orcid in Profile You can search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar Profile
