Original Article: JRCRS. 2025; 13(4):215-220
5- Role of Self-Managed, Semi-Supervised Physical Therapy in Urinary Incontinence Rehabilitation: A Quasi Pre-Post Experimental Trial
Anashia Aftab1, Seema Gul2
1 Physical therapist, Hamad medical corporation, Qatar
2 Lecturer, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
Read Full-Text Full-Text PDF DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.53389/JRCRS.2025130405
ABSTRACT:
Background: Urinary incontinence (UI) is widely recognized as a debilitating condition. Regardless of its type, UI can significantly affect an individual’s quality of life across multiple domains, including emotional well-being, functional capacity, and social participation. A comprehensive physical rehabilitation program has been shown to offer beneficial effects in the management of urinary incontinence.
Objective: To determine the role of self-managed, semi-supervised physical therapy in urinary incontinence rehabilitation.
Methodology: This was a quasi-experimental clinical trial, conducted at Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, involving patients diagnosed with urinary incontinence. Based on predefined inclusion criteria, a total of 31 participants were recruited through a convenience sampling technique. The sample comprised 9 male and 22 female patients, with a mean age of 40.93 ± 13.9 years. All participants underwent a comprehensive, self-managed, semi-supervised rehabilitation program over a period of four weeks. Bladder behavior—including the severity, frequency, and volume of urine leakage—was recorded. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Short Form (ICIQ-SF).
Results: The results of this study show that 45.16 % participants were suffering from Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI); 25.80% complained of Urge Urinary Incontinence (UUI) and 29.03% were having symptoms of both SUI and UUI so they were classified as Mixed Urinary Incontinence (MUI). The paired t-test for the comparison of bladder-related quality of life at baseline (ICIQF initial =12.37 + 3.64) and at the end of the treatment (ICIQF final =5.44 + 3.61) shows clinically and statistically significant results. (p=0.01).
Conclusion: This study determines that a self-managed and semi-supervised physical rehabilitation protocol can be effectively implemented in patients with any type of urinary incontinence to improve bladder related quality of life.
Keywords: Physical Therapy, Urinary Incontinence, Quality of Life