The effect of Kegel exercises combined with abdominal exercises on symptom severity, quality of life, sexual satisfaction, and sleep quality in middle-aged women with urinary incontinence.

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of two methods of Kegel exercises and Kegel exercises plus abdominal exercises on urinary incontinence symptoms, quality of life, and sleep quality in middle-aged women.

A quasi-experimental design with two experimental groups and one control group, with parallel, double-blind, randomized groups, will be implemented on 60 middle-aged women with urinary incontinence. Lottery will be used for randomization.

This study includes a pre-test and post-test and will compare the effects of two methods: Kegel exercises alone and Kegel exercises combined with abdominal exercises on urinary incontinence symptoms, quality of life, and sleep quality in young middle-aged women. The location of the exercises will be Arad Physiotherapy Clinic in Rasht. In this study, the researchers participating in the pre- and post-test assessments and the statistical expert will be unaware of how individuals are assigned to groups.

Inclusion criteria: 1) Age range 40 to 55 years, 2) Diagnosis of urgent urinary incontinence by an obstetrician or urologist, 3) Consent to participate in the study, 4- 6 months or more since the previous delivery, Exclusion criteria: 1- Having a urinary tract infection, 2- Current drug treatments and physiotherapy treatment, 3- Pregnancy, 4- Having surgery related to urinary incontinence, 5- Having concomitant physical and mental diseases such as cancer, heart disease, schizophrenia, and physical disability.

Kegel exercise group and Kegel exercise group combined with abdominal exercises

Urinary incontinence symptoms, quality of life, sleep quality, psychological well-being, body composition

60 middle-aged women with urinary incontinence will be selected by convenience sampling method. A simple randomization method will be employed, with the individual as the unit of randomization. To generate the random sequence, participants will be numbered sequentially upon entry, and each will be assigned with an equal probability to one of the three groups (two intervention groups and one control group) using a random number table (or random number generator software). To ensure allocation concealment, the group assignment for each participant will be placed in separate, numbered, and sequentially sealed envelopes. These envelopes will be opened by an independent person (other than the researcher) only after the final registration and obtaining written informed consent from each participant, thereby minimizing allocation bias.

In this research, the persons responsible for evaluating and collecting information, as well as the data analyst, are unaware of the type of intervention and the participants in the research groups.