The Effects of Expiratory Muscle Strength Training in Women With Stress Urinary Incontinence

NCT07693920 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: PT-2026-67
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of expiratory muscle strength training in addition to pelvic floor muscle training in women with stress urinary incontinence. In this study, women will be randomly assigned to one of two separate intervention groups. One group is the Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT) group, and the other is the PFMT plus Expiratory Muscle Strength Training group. The intervention program will last 8 weeks in both groups. Women in both groups will be evaluated at the beginning of the study (before the interventions) and at the end of the 8th week of intervention. After being taught the exercises included in the PFMT program, both groups will be asked to perform these exercises as a home program. The accuracy of the exercises performed by the women will be checked at two-week intervals, and the number of exercises will be increased. The primary outcome measure is the International Incontinence Consultation Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), which measures the Subjective Severity of Incontinence and its Impact on Daily Living.

Conditions

Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)

Keywords

stress urinary incontinence; women; pelvic floor muscle training; Expiratory muscle strength training

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form

  The subjective severity of incontinence and its impact on daily life will be assessed using the International Incontinence Consultation Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF).

  Baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention.

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Respiratory Muscle Strength Assessment

  Baseline and 8 weeks

• Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength

  Baseline and 8 weeks

• Objective incontinence severity

  Baseline and 8 weeks

• Patient Global Change (Improvement) Perception Scale

  In week 8

Study Arms (2)

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Women will receive a pelvic floor muscle training program.

Behavioral: Pelvic Floor Muscle Training

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training plus Expiratory Muscle Strength Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive pelvic floor muscle training combined with Expiratory Muscle Strength Training.

Behavioral: Pelvic Floor Muscle Training; Behavioral: Expiratory muscle strength training

Interventions

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training BEHAVIORAL

As part of the PTKE program, women will be taught rapid-maximal isolated contractions and multiple-repeated submaximal isolated contractions via vaginal palpation.

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training; Pelvic Floor Muscle Training plus Expiratory Muscle Strength Training

Expiratory muscle strength training BEHAVIORAL

Expiratory muscle strength training will be done at home 7 days a week, once a day with 25 breaths, and a 1-minute rest cycle after every 5 breaths.

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training plus Expiratory Muscle Strength Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: Only female participants with stress urinary incontinence are eligible for this study.
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Women aged 18-65 with SUI

You may not qualify if:

• Presence of neurological disease
• Neurogenic bladder findings,
• Pregnancy,
• Presence of malignancy,
• History of abdominopelvic surgery or radiotherapy within the last 6 months,
• Diagnosis of urinary tract infection,
• Presence of uncontrolled hypertension,
• Presence of advanced pelvic organ prolapse (stage 3 and above),
• Pelvic floor muscle tightening strength \<2 according to the Modified Oxford Scale on digital examination.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Mustafa Kemal University: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Urinary Incontinence, Stress

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Outcome assessments will be performed by a physiotherapist who is blinded to group allocation and is not involved in delivering the interventions.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 5, 2026
• First Posted: July 9, 2026
• Study Start: July 7, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 20, 2027
• Last Updated: July 9, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share