• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2008

Pelvic floor muscle is the main subsystem that maintains urinary continence. It is possible to diagnose the degree of the stress urinary incontinence(SUI) by evaluating the contraction pressure of the pelvic floor muscle. Bio-signal measurement system was developed to measure the contraction pressure. Diagnostic parameters were drawn out by analyzing the measured data. Statistical evaluations were done to classify the all subjects with five groups each has similar characteristics. SUI diagnostic algorithm was implemented to each group separately. The accuracy of the algorithm was about 78.9% and utility was confirmed by clinical trial.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.696-703
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• 2008

Purpose: To Perform a randomized comparative study investigating the effects of Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise(PME) and Magnetic Stimulation Therapy(MST) and to identified the problems in each of PME & MST Method: Forty-nine patients with mild stress incontinence were randomly assigned to either of two treatment groups (24 patients in the PME group and 25 in the MST group). The PME group had a video exercising program for 40 times every day during 6 weeks. The MST group was treated with BioCon-2000TM, 2times/ week for six weeks. Pre-test and post-test were performed by Prineometer, 1-hour pad test. and Jackson's BFLUTS questionnaire of Jackson. Collected data were analysed using SAS 9.1 by frequency, Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z. Chi Square-test, t-test, Fisher Exact probability test, Paired t-test, and Wilcoxon's rank sum test. Results: In comparison between before and after PME and MST, statistically significant difference was observed in maximal vaginal pressure, duration of vaginal contraction, amount of urine, and symptom of urination. In the comparison of the effectiveness between PME & MST, only the maximal of vaginal pressure (Z=2.58, p= .010) was significantly different. Conclusion: The factor more effective in the MST group than in the PME group was high compliance.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2007

In this study, diagnostic algorithm was suggested to diagnose quantitatively the degree of the stress urinary incontinence. The bio-signal measurement system was developed to measure the contraction pressure of the pelvic floor muscle and diagnostic parameters were drawn out by analyzing the contraction pressure data. Statistical evaluations were done to classify the diagnositc parameters by order that relationship is high. The diagnostic algorithm that was able to diagnose degree of the urinary incontinence as quantitatively was realized from the high relationship parameters.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.17-27
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• 2018

Background: This study investigated the effects of pelvic floor stabilization exercise of pain, disfunction, psychosocial, electromyography (EMG) activity on the lower back pain with postpartum. Methods: The study included 20 postpartum women who were randomly assigned to a sling exercise group (SEG, n=10) or a general physical therapy group (GPTG, n=10). Outcomes were assessed using to lower back pain with postpartum the quadruple visual analogue scale (QVAS), the Korean version of the Oswestry disability index (KODI), the fear avoidance belief questionnaire (FABQ), the inventory of functional status after childbirth (IFSAC), the edinburgh postnatal depression scale-Korean (EPDS-K), and trunk muscle activity before and after a 4-week exercise intervention. Statistical analysis were performed using a mean, standard deviation, crosstab test, paired t-test, independent t-test. Kolmogorove-Smirnov test was used for test of normality. Results: Compared to the GPTG, the SEG showed significant improvement in the QVAS, KODI, FABQ, IFSAC, and EPDK-K scores (p<.05) after 4 weeks. Conclusion: Postpartum pelvic strengthening exercise proved to have a positive effect.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.35-42
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• 2008

Background : To assess the effect of a pelvic compression belt on the strength of hip flexor in healthy young individuals. Study design: Pre- and post-treatment measurement design on one factor was used. Methods : 30 healthy volunteers (male: 15, female: 15) participated in this study. Dynamometer was used to measure the strength of hip flexor, and measurements were performed before and after the application of the pelvic compression belt at neutral position of hip joint and at 30 cm raised position from floor with straight leg in supine. Results : After the application of the pelvic compression belt, the strengths of hip flexor measured at both positions were significantly increased when compared with before the application (p<.05). However, at neutral position of hip joint and at 30cm raised position from floor, there were significantly different in the changing patterns in the strengths of hip flexor between men and women (p>.05). Conclusion : The findings suggest that the pelvic compression belt is helpful in strengthening hip muscles. With easy application, it is sufficiently feasible for clinical use.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.81-89
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• 2022

Purpose : Kegel exercises reported that it is effective in managing stress-related or complex urinary incontinence through contraction and relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles. In many previous studies, it was confirmed that Kegel exercise is involved in respiration as well as urinary system diseases. However, there is a lack of research on the effect of pelvic setting when performing Kegel exercises. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect on maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) and abdominal muscle thickness through Kegel exercise after lumbar-pelvic motor control using pressure biofeedback unit (PBU). Methods : The subjects of this study were 10 healthy female students in their 20s. Subjects measured MVV with a spirometer. In hooklying, external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominis of the dominant hand were measured using ultrasound. The measured value was an average of three times. After one week of intervention, measurements were made in the same manner. Before Kegel exercise, pelvic setting training was performed using PBU. In hooklying, PBU was placed in the waist and set to 40 mmHg, and it was adjusted to 60 mmHg through pelvic muscle contraction. For Kegel exercise, the pelvis was first set using PBU, and then the pelvic floor muscles were contracted for 8 seconds and relaxed for 8 seconds, 10 times, 1 set, and 3 sets. Results : In MVV, a significant difference was confirmed after exercise than before exercise (p<.05). There was also a significant difference in abdominal muscle thickness before and after exercise (p<.05). Conclusion : Based on the results of this study, Kegel exercise using PBU had an effect on MVV and abdominal muscle thickness. However, since this study was conducted without a control group as a preliminary study, additional research should be conducted to supplement this.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.103-107
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• 2015

Objective: Pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) form the base of the abdomino-pelvic cavity and also the PFMs function is important for urinary continence. PFMs training (PFMT) is considered to be the first method for PFM dysfunction. This study demonstrated correct PFMs contraction among commonly used different contraction methods for PFMT. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: In this study, nineteen middle-aged (40-70 years) women participated. To evaluate PFM function, ultrasonography was used to measure the distance of the bladder base movement. The distance of the PFM movements were calculated at rest and during the other contractions. The following four different contraction methods were performed randomly: (1) PFM contraction, (2) abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM), (3) anal contraction, and (4) hip adductor muscle contraction. The participants held the contraction for 3 seconds for a total of 3 times with a 30 seconds rest period between each trial. The mean of three measurements in each position were obtained and compared with that in the resting position. Results: The bladder base movement values were significantly greater when comparing PFM with ADIM and hip adductor contractions (p<0.05). The bladder base movement values were significantly greater when comparing ADIM and anal contractions with hip adductor contractions (p<0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that performing PFM contractions is the best method among the common methods for PFMT. Performing PFM contractions was more effective than the other contraction methods.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.1476-1484
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• 2005

Purpose. The purposes of this study were to examine the effectiveness of a behavioral intervention program combining pelvic floor muscle exercise with bladder training for urinary incontinence and also to conduct follow-up assessment after self-training. Methods. This study was conducted using a non-equivalent control group, pretest-posttest design. The subjects were 60 middle-aged women(control group, n=30; intervention group, n=30) who experienced an episode of urinary incontinence at least once a week. The program was run over a 4 week period (once a week) and composed of urinary incontinence education, pelvic floor muscle exercise, and bladder training. Results. Overall, there was a significant difference in urinary incontinence symptoms and psycho-social well-being related to urinary incontinence between the treatment and control group. Of the variables, weekly leakage frequencies, leakage amounts on each occasion, leakage index, frequencies of nocturia, and quality of life were significantly different between the groups. Follow-up assessment (9th week) indicated that overall incontinence symptoms and psycho-social well-being were significantly different between the posttest and follow-up assessments. Most variables of incontinence symptoms and psycho-social well-being were significantly improved at follow-up assessment versus posttest. Conclusions. The program was voerall effective in terms of relieving symptoms and improving psych-social well-being related to urinary incontinence, and this effect continued after a 4-weeks self-training period. In the respect that this is a community-based application study, the results can be meaningful and applicable.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.209-214
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• 2020

Objective: Using biofeedback in instructing pelvic floor muscle (PFM) activation is a great method to provide information on muscle contraction. This study aimed to determine the immediate effectiveness of a mobile game-based instruction with an extracorporeal biofeedback device (EBD) to improve PFM contraction in healthy subjects. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Sixteen healthy subjects (4 men and 12 nulliparous women; age, 31±5 years) were enrolled. The subjects were randomly categorized into two groups, those who were to receive instructions on how to contract the PFM by using the EBD (n=7) and those who were to undergo a transabdominal ultrasonography (TAUS; n=9) with biofeedback. PFM function was measured as the displacement (mm) of PFM elevation by using the TAUS before and after the instructions in each group. Results: The EBD and TAUS groups showed a significant increase in the displacement of PFM elevation after the instructions from 5.93±4.03 mm to 7.62±3.77 mm and from 5.27±3.39 mm to 7.47±2.79 mm, respectively (p<0.05). No significant differences were found between the two groups. Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that instructions for PFM contraction using the EBD and TAUS showed an immediate effect; however, no significant difference in effectiveness was observed between the two instruction methods. Therefore, not only can the TAUS method be used but the EBD method can also be used as a PFM instruction method for noninvasive procedures. However, further studies are needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of training and exercise on larger sample sizes that includes patient populations with PFM dysfunction.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.420-430
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• 2013

Purpose: The aim of this study was to review the literature to determine whether intensive pelvic floor muscle training during pregnancy and after delivery could prevent urinary and fecal incontinence. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCT) of low-risk obstetric populations who had done Kegel exercise during pregnancy and after delivery met the inclusion criteria. Articles published between 1966 and 2012 from periodicals indexed in Ovid Medline, Embase, Scopus, KoreaMed, NDSL and other databases were selected, using the following keywords: 'Kegel, pelvic floor exercise'. The Cochrane's Risk of Bias was applied to assess the internal validity of the RCT. Fourteen selected studies were analyzed by meta-analysis using RevMan 5.1. Results: Fourteen RCTs with high methodological quality, involving 6,454 women were included. They indicated that Kegel exercise significantly reduced the development of urinary and fecal incontinence from pregnancy to postpartum. Also, there was low clinical heterogeneity. Conclusion: There is some evidence that for antenatal and postnatal women, Kegel exercise can prevent urinary and fecal incontinence. Therefore, a priority task is to develop standardized Kegel exercise programs for Korean pregnant and postpartum women and make efficient use of these programs.