• Ünal M
• Develi E
• Tuğtepe H

• Child
• Exercise Therapy
• Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
• Musculoskeletal Manipulations
• Pelvic Floor / physiopathology
• Urinary Incontinence

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the impact of a combined approach involving connective tissue manipulation (CTM) and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) exercises on symptoms, uroflowmetry parameters, and PFM activation in children with lower urinary tract disorders.

Methods: Forty children with lower urinary tract disorder were randomized into 2 groups: (1) PFM group and (2) CTM+PFM exercise group (CTG). The treatment was performed 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Children were evaluated with electromyography-uroflowmetry, bladder ultrasonography, bladder diary, electromyography-PFM activation, and the Dysfunctional Voiding and Incontinence Scoring System at baseline and 8 weeks after interventions.

Results: A comparison of the 2 groups revealed that the CTG group demonstrated greater improvement in mean flow rate (Q-Ave), maximum voiding volume, incontinence frequency, PFM contraction activation (work average), and Dysfunctional Voiding and Incontinence Scoring System scores (P < .05).

Conclusion: Connective tissue manipulation applied in addition to pelvic floor muscle exercises was more effective on certain uroflow and bladder diary parameters, symptom severity score, and certain PFM activation parameters. Connective tissue manipulation applied together with PFM exercises may be a novel approach in children with lower urinary tract disorders, a noninvasive and accessible manual therapy method.

Author keywords: Manual Therapy; Pelvic Floor; Urinary Incontinence. 

This abstract is reproduced with the permission of the publisher; full text is available by subscription. Click on the above link and select a publisher from PubMed's LinkOut feature.