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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07127549

Core Muscle Strength, Endurance, and Balance in Women With Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence (UI) is defined as the involuntary loss of urine that occurs outside the individual's control and negatively affects both hygiene and social life. Research indicates that individuals with UI experience decreased core muscle strength and endurance, which may also lead to changes in balance parameters. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate core muscle strength, endurance, and balance parameters in women with UI, taking the type of UI into consideration.

This study was conducted between January 2025 and April 2025 at the Urogynecology Clinic of Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital in Istanbul, with patients diagnosed with UI by a specialist physician. A total of 32 participants were included. All participants were administered a demographic assessment form; the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) to assess physical activity level; the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) and all of its subscales to evaluate the severity of symptoms associated with pelvic floor distress; urodynamic measurement; a pad test to assess the severity of UI; a perineometer device to evaluate pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength; the Sahrmann five-level core stabilization test and the Stabilizer Pressure Biofeedback Unit to assess core muscle strength; McGill's Trunk Endurance Tests for core endurance; and the Y Balance Test to assess balance.

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Key information

Conditions

Urinary Incontinence Female Urogenital Diseases Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Male Urogenital Diseases Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Urination Disorders Urogenital Diseases Urologic Diseases Urological Manifestations

Age range

35 year–55 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Halic University

Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosed with urinary incontinence by a specialist physician
  • Native Turkish speaker
  • Willing to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

  • Pregnant
  • Given birth within the past year
  • Cooperation problems
  • Presence of urinary infection
  • Diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) stage higher than 2
  • History of pelvic surgery
  • Presence of dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, or ear fullness (uncontrolled vestibulopathies)
  • Use of medications that affect balance
  • Resistance to digital vaginal palpation or insertion of a perineometer into the vagina
  • Orthopedic, cognitive, cardiac, or neurological conditions that may prevent participation in the study

Treatment and study plan

Muscle strength, endurance and balance assessment

Other

All participants were administered a demographic assessment form; the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) to assess physical activity level; the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) and all of its subscales to evaluate the severity of symptoms associated with pelvic floor distress; urodynamic measurement; a pad test to assess the severity of UI; a perineometer device to evaluate pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength; the Sahrmann five-level core stabilization test and the Stabilizer Pressure Biofeedback Unit to assess core muscle strength; McGill's Trunk Endurance Tests for core endurance; and the Y Balance Test to assess balance.

Primary outcomes

  1. Assessment of Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength

    Time frame: At the day of enrollment

    a previously validated perineometer with good inter-rater reliability and reproducibility was used to assess pelvic floor muscle strength.

    a previously validated perineometer with good inter-rater reliability and reproducibility was used to assess pelvic floor muscle strength.

    A previously validated perineometer with good inter-rater reliability and reproducibility was used to assess pelvic floor muscle strength.

  2. Assessment of Urine Flow Rate and Volume

    Time frame: At the day of enrollment

    A uroflowmetry device was used to assess urine flow rate and volume.

    A uroflowmetry device was used to assess urine flow rate and volume

  3. Assessment of Urinary Incontinence Severity

    Time frame: At the day of enrollment

    A 1-hour pad test was used to determine the severity of urinary incontinence.

  4. Assessment of Core Muscle Strength

    Time frame: At the day of enrollment

    The Stabilizer Pressure Biofeedback Unit® (Chattanooga Medical Supply Inc., Chattanooga, TN) was used to determine the level of core stabilization.

  5. Assessment of Core Endurance and Stability

    Time frame: At the day of enrollment

    The test protocol developed by McGill and colleagues was applied to measure core endurance.

  6. Balance Assessment

    Time frame: At the day of enrollment

    The Y Balance Test was used to assess balance.

Secondary outcomes

  1. International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF)

    Time frame: At the day of enrollment

    The IPAQ-SF is a brief self-report questionnaire used to assess the physical activity levels of individuals over the past 7 days. It measures the frequency and duration of walking, moderate-intensity, and vigorous-intensity activities.

  2. Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20)

    Time frame: At the day of enrollment

    The PFDI-20 is a questionnaire designed to evaluate the presence and severity of pelvic floor distress symptoms, including urinary, colorectal, and pelvic organ prolapse symptoms. It helps assess the impact of these symptoms on a patient's quality of life.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Seda Saka

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Assessment of Core Muscle Strength, Endurance, and Balance in Women With Urinary Incontinence

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Aug 17, 2025
Registry last updated
Aug 28, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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