Effect of pelvic floor exercises and faradic current stimulation in elderly males with idiopathic detrusor overactivity

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of pelvic floor exercises and faradic current stimulation to sacral dermatomes on parameters of frequency/volume charts [FVC's] in patients with idiopathic detrusor overactivity. 42 male patients [mean age 69.40 +/- 2.70 years] with idiopathic detrusor overactivity participated in the study. Patients were categorized into three homogenous groups; exercise, stimulation and control, each group included 14 patients. Patients of the exercise group received a program of pelvic floor exercise while patients of the stimulation group received a program of faradic current stimulation to sacral dermatomes. The results showed a highly significant [p<0.01] reduction of mean number of episodes of emergency per 24-hour between pre- and post-intervention measures for exercise and stimulation groups, in which it was 5.52 +/- 0.54 vs. 1.6 +/- 0.353 and 5.52 +/- 0.51 vs. 2.7 +/- 0.36 respectively. While on comparing pre- and post-intervention mean voids frequency per 24-hour for exercise and stimulation groups, the results showed a highly significant [p<0.01] increase in the mean values of pre-intervention measures in which it was 9.77 +/- 0.70 vs. 5.83 +/- 0.76 and 9.66 +/- 0.57 vs. 8.09 +/- 0.69 respectively. Multiple paired comparisons of the mean parameters of FVC's using Dunnett t test among exercise, stimulation and control groups after the intervention showed a high statistical significant difference [p<0.01] of all parameters of FVC's in exercise group. While post-intervention results of electrical stimulation group showed that there were insignificant differences of means; daytime voiding frequency, nighttime voiding volume, total voids volume per 24-hour, fluid intake per 24-hour and functional bladder capacity in milliliters. The results showed the efficacy of practicing pelvic floor exercise and electrical stimulation programs in improving bladder functions. Pelvic floor exercises were more efficient in improving bladder functions than that occurred with electrical stimulation