Global Postural Re-education: an alternative approach for stress urinary incontinence?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Global Postural Re-education (GPR) on stress urinary incontinence symptoms and to compare it to Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT).

STUDY DESIGN: Fifty-two women with stress urinary incontinence were distributed into two groups: Group 1 (G1) was submitted to weekly sessions of GPR for three months and Group 2 (G2) performed Pelvic Floor Muscle Training four times a week for three months. Patients were evaluated through the King's Health Questionnaire, a three-day voiding diary including daily pad use and a Functional Evaluation of the Pelvic Floor (FEPF), before treatment (T0), at the end of treatment (T1) and six months after treatment (T2).

RESULTS: The number of leaking episodes dropped significantly in both groups at the end of treatment and at six months follow-up, with a significantly greater decrease in G1. Daily pad use dropped significantly in both groups. At the end of treatment, 72% of the patients in G1 and 41% of the patients in G2 needed no pads and at six-month follow-up, 84% and 50%, respectively. FEPF improved significantly in both groups, with no significant difference between the groups (P=0.628). The King's Health Questionnaire demonstrated significant improvement in both groups and in all domains. The GPR group presented higher adherence to treatment, with no dropouts.

CONCLUSIONS: GPR could represent an alternative method to treat stress urinary incontinence in women, should the results be long lasting.