Core Stabilization Exercise in Prenatal and Postnatal Women With Urinary Incontinence: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Chin-Yin Yu; Tzu-Yin Yu; Yi-Wen Chen; Li-Fong Lin; Chih-Wei Peng; Hung-Chou Chen

doi:10.1097/PHM.0000000000002260

Core Stabilization Exercise in Prenatal and Postnatal Women With Urinary Incontinence: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2023 Nov 1;102(11):990-999. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000002260. Epub 2023 Apr 16.

Authors

Chin-Yin Yu¹, Tzu-Yin Yu, Yi-Wen Chen, Li-Fong Lin, Chih-Wei Peng, Hung-Chou Chen

Affiliation

¹ From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan (C-YY, Y-WC, L-FL, H-CC); School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (T-YY); Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (Y-WC, H-CC); School of Gerontology and Long-Term Care, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (L-FL, C-WP); School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (C-WP); and Center for Evidence-Based Health Care, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan (HC-C).

PMID: 37104619
DOI: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000002260

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect size of core stabilization exercise for prenatal and postnatal women through measures of urinary symptoms, voiding function, pelvic floor muscle strength and endurance, quality of life, and pain scores.

Design: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases were searched. Randomized controlled trials were selected and subjected to meta-analysis and risk of bias assessment.

Results: Ten randomized controlled trials were selected, and 720 participants were included. Ten articles using seven outcomes were analyzed. Relative to the control groups, the core stabilization exercise groups exhibited superior results for urinary symptoms (standardized mean difference = -0.65, 95% confidence interval = -0.97 to 0.33), pelvic floor muscle strength (standardized mean difference = 0.96, 95% confidence interval = 0.53 to 1.39), pelvic floor muscle endurance (standardized mean difference = 0.71, 95% confidence interval = 0.26 to 1.16), quality of life (standardized mean difference = -0.9, 95% confidence interval = -1.23 to 0.58), transverse muscle strength (standardized mean difference = -0.45, 95% confidence interval = -0.9 to -0.01), and voiding function (standardized mean difference = -1.07, 95% confidence interval = -1.87 to 0.28).

Conclusions: Core stabilization exercises are safe and beneficial for alleviating urinary symptoms, improving quality of life, strengthening pelvic floor muscles, and improving transverse muscle function in prenatal and postnatal women with urinary incontinence.