International Urogynecology Journal

, Volume 21, Issue 4, pp 395–399 | Cite as

Vaginal weight cone versus assisted pelvic floor muscle training in the treatment of female urinary incontinence. A prospective, single-blind, randomized trial

  • Mônica Orsi Gameiro
  • Eliane Hilberath Moreira
  • Felipe Orsi Gameiro
  • Juliana Cruz Moreno
  • Carlos Roberto Padovani
  • João Luiz Amaro
Original Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

Vaginal weight cone (VWC) versus assisted pelvic floor muscle training (APFMT) in the treatment of urinary incontinence (UI) in women.

Methods

One hundred three incontinent women were randomly distributed into two groups: group G1 (n = 51) treated with VWC and G2 (n = 52), APFMT. The following parameters were performed initially and after treatment: (1) clinical questionnaire, (2) visual analogue scale (VAS), (3) 60-min pad test, and (4) subjective and objective assessment of pelvic floor muscle (PFM).

Results

There was a significant decrease in nocturia and urine loss after treatment in both groups (p < 0.05). In VAS, there was a significant improvement of all parameters in both groups (p < 0.05). The pad test showed significant decrease in both groups (p < 0.05). There was a significant increase of PFM strength in both groups (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

There was no difference between groups treated with VWC and APFMT.

Keywords

Assisted PFMT Conservative management Urinary incontinence Vaginal weight cone 

Abbreviations

VWC

Vaginal weight cone

APFMT

Assisted pelvic floor muscle training

UI

Urinary incontinence

G1

Group 1

G2

Group 2

VAS

Visual analogue scale

PFM

Pelvic floor muscles

PFMT

Pelvic floor muscles training

SUI

Stress urinary incontinence

T0

Before the treatment

T6

Six months after treatment

T12

Twelve months after treatment

TDP

Transvaginal digital palpation

g

Gram

min

Minutes

This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Conflicts of interest

None.

References

  1. 1.
    Holley RL, Varner RE, Kerns DJ, Mestecky PJ (1995) Long-term failure of pelvic floor musculature exercises in treatment of genuine stress incontinence. South Med J 165:322–329Google Scholar
  2. 2.
    Arvonen T, Fianu-Jonasson A, Tyni-Lenné R (2001) Effectiveness of two conservative modes of physical therapy in women with urinary stress incontinence. Neurourol Urodyn 20:591–599CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  3. 3.
    Hay-Smith EJ, Dumoulin C (2006) Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 25:CD005654Google Scholar
  4. 4.
    Peattie AB, Plevnik S, Stanton SL (1988) Vaginal cones: a conservative method of treating genuine stress incontinence. Br J Obstet Gynecol 95:1049–1053Google Scholar
  5. 5.
    Plevnik S (1994) Vaginal cones. In: Shussler B, Laycock J, Norton P, Stanton SL (eds) Pelvic floor re-education principles and practice. Springer, London, pp 139–142Google Scholar
  6. 6.
    Herbison GP, Dean N (2002) Weighted vaginal cones for urinary incontinence. Cochrane Database Syst Rev (1):CD002114. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002114
  7. 7.
    Jonasson A, Larsson B, Pschera H (1989) Testing and training of the pelvic floor muscles after childbirth. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 68:301–304CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  8. 8.
    Bo K, Talseth T, Holme I (1999) Single blind, randomized controlled trial of pelvic floor exercises, electrical stimulation, vaginal cones, and no treatment in management of genuine stress incontinence in women. Br Med J 318:487–493Google Scholar
  9. 9.
    Halbe HW (1993) Tratado de Ginecologia Roca. São PauloGoogle Scholar
  10. 10.
    Amaro JL, Moreira ECH, Gameiro MO, Padovani CR (2005) Pelvic floor muscle evaluation in incontinent patients. Int Urogynecol J 16:352–354CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. 11.
    Laycock J, Green RJ (1988) Interferential therapy in the treatment of incontinence. Phisiotherapy 74:161–168CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. 12.
    Goodman LA (1965) On simultaneous confidence intervals for multinomial proportions. Technometrics 7:47–254CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. 13.
    Johnson RA, Wichern DW (2002) Applied multivariate statistical analysis, 5th edn. Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, p 767Google Scholar
  14. 14.
    Cammu H, Van Nylen M (1998) Pelvic floor exercises versus vaginal weight cones in genuine stress incontinence. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 77:89–93CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  15. 15.
    Amaro JL, Gameiro MO, Padovani CR (2003) Treatment of urinary stress incontinence by intravaginal electrical stimulation and pelvic floor physiotherapy. Int Urogynecol J 14:204–208CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. 16.
    Wrigley T (1995) The effect of training with vaginal weighted cones and pelvic floor exercises on the strengh of the pelvic floor muscles: a pilot study. Int Urogynecol J 6:4–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. 17.
    Deindl FM, Schüssler B, Vodusek DB, Hesse U (1995) Neurophysiologic effect of vaginal cone application in continent and urinary stress incontinent women. Int Urogynecol J 6:204–208CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© The International Urogynecological Association 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Mônica Orsi Gameiro
    • 1
  • Eliane Hilberath Moreira
    • 2
  • Felipe Orsi Gameiro
    • 3
  • Juliana Cruz Moreno
    • 3
  • Carlos Roberto Padovani
    • 4
  • João Luiz Amaro
    • 5
    • 6
  1. 1.School of MedicineSão Paulo State University (UNESP)BotucatuBrazil
  2. 2.Physiotherapy Department, Health Sciences CenterParaná State UniversityLondrinaBrazil
  3. 3.Physiotherapy Service, School of MedicineSão Paulo State University (UNESP)BotucatuBrazil
  4. 4.Department of Biostatistics, School of MedicineSão Paulo State University (UNESP)BotucatuBrazil
  5. 5.Department of Urology, School of MedicineSão Paulo State University (UNESP)BotucatuBrazil
  6. 6.Departamento de UrologiaFaculdade de Medicina de BotucatuBotucatuBrazil

Personalised recommendations