The Feasibility and Effects of a Telehealth-delivered Physical Therapy Program for Postmenopausal Women with Urinary Incontinence

Detailed Summary

Postmenopausal women frequently report physical (hot flushes, night sweat, insomnia, vaginal dryness, sexual dysfunction, urinary incontinence, reduced fitness level, osteoporotic symptoms, sarcopenia, decreased fat free mass, etc.) and psychological (depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, etc.) symptoms. Among these symptoms, urinary incontinence is one of the most common manifestations of pelvic floor dysfunction and may significantly impact on women's quality of life. Urinary incontinence is highly prevalent (30%) in postmenopausal women and is primarily attributed to the decreased level of estrogen. Other potential risk factors for urinary incontinence after menopause include age, parity, genetic factors, pregnancy, overweight/obesity, low physical activity levels, diabetes, urinary tract infection, etc. International guidelines recommend lifestyle and behavioral change, pelvic floor muscle training and bladder training as first-line treatments for urinary incontinence in postmenopausal women. During the COVID-19 pandemic, access to and utilization of healthcare services is reduced. As travel distance has been reported as one of the strong barriers to healthcare among patients with incontinence, research has been conducted to investigate the applications and effects of telehealth. While telehealth rehabilitation may improve urinary incontinence symptoms, the field is still emerging and more studies are needed to elucidate how physical therapists can perform telehealth pelvic floor muscle training for urinary incontinence. The objectives of this three-year study are: 1. to investigate the feasibility of a telehealth-delivered physical therapy program for postmenopausal women with urinary incontinence 2. to explore the effects of a telehealth-delivered physical therapy program on urinary incontinence symptoms, pelvic floor muscle function and quality of life in postmenopausal women with urinary incontinence 3. to compare the effectiveness of telehealth physical therapy program with face-to-face physical therapy in this population 4. to compare body composition, physical activity levels, functional capacity, grip strength, urinary incontinence symptoms, and pelvic floor muscles function in women at early versus late stage of post-menopause 5. to evaluate the relationships between duration after menopause and body composition, physical activity levels, functional capacity, grip strength, urinary incontinence symptoms, and pelvic floor muscles function

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