• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.713-722
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pelvic floor muscle exercise using electric stimulation and biofeedback on maximum pressure of vaginal contraction, vaginal contraction duration and sexual function in women who have had vaginal rejuvenation. Methods: The research design was a non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design study. Participants in this study were women who had vaginal rejuvenation at C obstetrics and gynecology hospital. The 15 participants in the experimental group were given pelvic floor muscle exercise using electric stimulation and biofeedback and the 15 participants in the control group received self pelvic floor muscle exercise. Results: For maximum pressure of vaginal contraction, the experimental group showed a statistically significant increase compared to than the control group (t=5.96, p <.001). For vaginal contraction duration, the experimental group also showed a statistically significant increase compared to the control group (t=3.23, p =.003). For women' s sexual function, the experimental group showed a significant increase when compared to the control group in total sexual function scores (t=3.41, p =.002). Conclusion: The results indicate that pelvic floor muscle exercise with electric stimulation and biofeedback after vaginal rejuvenation is effective in strengthening vaginal contraction pressure, vaginal contraction and that it also positively functions to increase women's sexual function.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.267-277
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to help the women with stress urinary incontinence lead more comfortable life, by letting them to do pelvic muscle exercise and to learn by direct experience the effect that urinary incontinence is controlled. The research design was a one-group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were 16 middle-aged women(over 38) with stress urinary incontinence. The study was conducted from August 1, to October 11, 1999. Women trained themselves for muscular strength and endurance, every the other day for each exercise for six weeks at home(that means each exercise for more than three days a week) in the pelvic muscle exercise program which was developed by Dougherty et al., and filled out exercise participation card every week. They visited laboratory once a week to get visual feedback, by means of Perineometer, of how the pelvic muscle exercise was going on. Stress Urinary Incontinence Scale that Lee, Young-Sook revised and supplemented Hendrickson's original scale was used for measuring the frequency and situation scores of urinary incontinence, "30 minute pad test" was carried out for measuring the amount of urinary incontinence, and Perineometer was used for measuring maximum vaginal contraction pressure. Percentage, mean, standard deviation and Wilcoxon signed ranks test were used for data analysis by means of SPSS/PC+ WIN 9.0 program. The results were summarized as follows : The hypothesis 1 that after carrying out pelvic muscle exercise program on women with stress urinary incontinence, the weekly degree of urinary incontinence would reduce compared to before the exercise was supported. The hypothesis 1-1 that after carrying out pelvic muscle exercise program on women with stress urinary incontinence, the weekly frequency of urinary incontinence would reduce compared to before the exercise was supported (p=.003). The hypothesis 1-2 that after carrying out pelvic muscle exercise program on women with stress urinary incontinence, the situation scores of urinary incontinence would reduce compared to before the exercise was supported(p=.044). The hypothesis 2 that after carrying out pelvic muscle exercise program on women with stress urinary incontinence, the amount of urinary incontinence would reduce compared to before the exercise was supported(p=.001). The hypothesis 3 that after carrying out pelvic muscle exercise program on women with stress urinary incontinence, the maximum vaginal contraction pressure would increase compared to before the exercise was supported (p=.012). These results suggest that pelvic muscle exercise program has an effect on women with stress urinary incontinence in the degree and amount of urinary incontinence and maximum vaginal contraction pressure. So it is judged that training women with stress urinary incontinence for pelvic muscle exercise is an effective nursing intervention strategy in order to care urinary incontinence.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.91-102
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was done to examine the effect of a urinary incontinence management program on physical symptoms, daily life problems, and sexual life problems for women with mixed urinary incontinence. Methods: This study was conducted using a one group pre-test and post-test design. For the survey, 28 women having mixed urinary incontinence were chosen by convenience sampling and agreed to participate in this study. Their physical symptoms (urinary symptoms, maximum vaginal contraction pressure, and duration of vaginal contraction), daily life problems, and sexual life problems were measured. For descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used with SPSS Win 14.0. Results: There were statistically significant differences in the mean scores of physical symptoms (urinary symptoms and maximum vaginal contraction pressure), daily life problems, and sexual life problems. Conclusion: This urinary incontinence management program showed improvements in physical symptoms, daily life, and sexual life of women in the sample. The study results indicate that for effective urinary incontinence management programs nurses should recognize the importance of continual treatment and also develop coping strategies that have sensitivity and are appropriate for patients' daily and sexual problems.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.177-185
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was done to examine the effects of an incontinence prevention program on postpartum women. Methods: The study design was a nonequivalent control pretest-posttest design. The subjects were 49 postpartum women with a normal vaginal delivery, 25 in the experimental group and 24 in the control group. Data was collected from lune 1. 2007 to April 30. 2008 at a postpartum women's care center located in Jeonju, Korea. For the experimental treatment, an incontinence prevention program was carried out for 24 weeks. Measures included maximum pressure of pelvic floor muscle contraction and duration of pelvic floor muscle contraction at pre-treatment, 5 weeks postpartum and 24 weeks postpartum. Data was analyzed by Repeated ANOVA using the SPSS/WIN 14.0 program. Results: The mean maximum pressure of pelvic floor muscle contraction (F = 8.95, p < .001) and mean duration of pelvic floor muscle contraction (F = 22.01, p < .001) were significantly different between the groups, and significantly increased as time passed. Conclusion: Practice of an incontinence prevention program is considered an effective intervention for the results of fewer urinary incontinence symptoms in postpartum women.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.482-492
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was to identify the effects of self-foot reflexology on urinary incontinence symptoms, vaginal contraction and daily life discomfort of middle-aged women. Method: A quasi-experimental design was used. The subject were 39 middle-aged women with urinary incontinence, who were composed of 18 women in the experimental group, while 21 were in the control group. In the experimental group, self-foot reflexology was applied for 30 minutes, three times a week for 4 weeks. The obtained data were analyzed by using the Mann-Whitney U test of SPSS. Result: 1. Frequency(U=78.00, P=.001), amount(U=65.00, p=.001) and the situation score(U=81.00, P=.002)of urinary incontinence were reduced significantly in the experimental group as compared to the control group. 2. Maximum pressure(U=33.50, p=.000), mean pressure(U=38.00 p=.000) of vaginal contraction were improved significantly in the experimental group as compared to the control group. 3. Daily life discomfort in the experimental group was reduced whereas that of the control group was increased(U=63.00, p=.000) significantly. Conclusion: These findings indicate that self-foot reflexology is an effective method for reducing urinary incontinence symptoms and daily life discomfort and for increasing pressure of vaginal contraction of middle-aged women. Therefore self-foot reflexology can be considered as a independent nursing intervention for urinary incontinence.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.412-423
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• 2002

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of pelvic floor muscle exercise using biofeedback and electrical stimulation after normal vaginal delivery. The data were collected from November 1999 to April 2000 at a university hospital located in Seoul, Korea. Out of 49 women with normal vaginal delivery, 25 of experimental group(with exercise) and 24 of control group(without exercise) were questioned about lower urinary symptoms, discomfort during sexual intercourse and daily life. The maximum pressure of pelvic floor muscle contraction(MPPFMC) and duration of pelvic floor muscle contraction(DPFMC) were measured at pre-treatment, the end of treatment and 8 weeks after a treatment program. The pelvic floor muscle exercise program(using biofeedback and electrical stimulation) was applied to the experimental group twice a week for 4 weeks at the incontinence clinic and the pelvic floor muscle exercise at home for that time and more 8 weeks. Data were analyzed by t-test, $x^2$-test, Fisher's exact test and the repeated measures ANOVA. The results were as follows; 1) MPPFMC(p=0.000) and DPFMC(p=0.021) were significantly increased in the experimental group. 2) In the lower urinary symptoms, daily frequency(p=0.001), nocturia(p=0.002), incontinence episode(p=0.016), stress incontinence(p=0.012), quantity of incontinence(p=0.026), straining(p=0.041), and strength of stream(p=0.009) were significantly decreased in the experimental group. 3) Discomfort during sexual intercourse had not a significant difference between the two groups, which was not significantly decreased as time passed. 4) In the discomfort during daily life, activity restriction(p=0.042), exercise restriction (p=0.008), interpersonal relationship restriction(p=0.046), and discomfort of general life(p=0.027) showed a significant difference between the two groups, which were not significantly decreased as time passed. In conclusion, it is suggested that the pelvic floor muscle exercise using biofeedback and electrical stimulation might be a safer and more effective program for the improvement of postpartum pelvic muscle contraction.