Women's preferences for pelvic floor screening in sport and exercise: a mixed-methods study integrating survey and interview data in Australian women.

OBJECTIVES: One in two women experiencing pelvic floor (PF) symptoms stop playing sport or exercising. The study examines the perspective of women with PF symptoms to inform acceptable screening practices within sport and exercise settings. METHODS: Explanatory, sequential, mixed-methods design. Phase 1: survey of 18-65 years, symptomatic, Australian women (n=4556). Phase 2: semistructured interviews with a subset of survey participants (n=23). Integration occurred through connection of phases (study design, sampling) and joint display of data. RESULTS: Findings are represented in three threads: (1) 'women (not) telling'; a majority of women had told no-one within a sport or exercise setting about their PF symptoms due to shame/embarrassment, lack of pelvic health knowledge and not wanting to initiate the conversation, (2) 'asking women (screening for PF symptoms)'; women endorsed including PF symptom questions within existing sport and exercise screening practices but only when conducted in a respectful and considered manner and (3) 'creating safety'; professionals can assist women to disclose by demonstrating expertise, trustworthiness and competency. If health and exercise professionals are provided with appropriate training, they could raise pelvic health awareness and promote a supportive and safe sport and exercise culture. CONCLUSION: Women with PF symptoms support health and exercise professionals initiating conversations about PF health to normalise the topic, and include PF symptoms among other pre-exercise screening questions. However, women should be informed on the relevance and potential benefits of PF screening prior to commencing. Safe screening practices require building trust by providing information, gaining consent, displaying comfort and genuine interest, and being knowledgeable within one's scope of practice to the provision of advice, exercise modifications and referral as appropriate.

Experience of Playing Sport or Exercising for Women with Pelvic Floor Symptoms: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Women participate in sport at lower rates than men, and face unique challenges to participation. One in three women across all sports experience pelvic floor (PF) symptoms such as urinary incontinence during training/competition. There is a dearth of qualitative literature on women's experiences of playing sport/exercising with PF symptoms. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of symptomatic women within sports/exercise settings and the impact of PF symptoms on sports/exercise participation using in-depth semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: Twenty-three women (age 26-61 years) who had experienced a breadth of PF symptom type, severity and bother during sport/exercise participated in one-one interviews. Women played a variety of sports and levels of participation. Qualitative content analysis was applied leading to identification of four main themes: (1) I can't exercise the way I would like to (2) it affects my emotional and social well-being, (3) where I exercise affects my experience and (4) there is so much planning to be able to exercise. Women reported extensive impact on their ability to participate in their preferred type, intensity and frequency of exercise. Women experienced judgement from others, anger, fear of symptoms becoming known and isolation from teams/group exercise settings as a consequence of symptoms. Meticulous and restrictive coping strategies were needed to limit symptom provocation during exercise, including limiting fluid intake and careful consideration of clothing/containment options. CONCLUSION: Experiencing PF symptoms during sport/exercise caused considerable limitation to participation. Generation of negative emotions and pain-staking coping strategies to avoid symptoms, limited the social and mental health benefits typically associated with sport/exercise in symptomatic women. The culture of the sporting environment influenced whether women continued or ceased exercising. In order to promote women's participation in sport, co-designed strategies for (1) screening and management of PF symptoms and (2) promotion of a supportive and inclusive culture within sports/exercise settings are needed.

Conservative interventions may have little effect on reducing diastasis of the rectus abdominis in postnatal women - A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle (DRAM) commonly occurs in pregnancy and postnatally. Physiotherapists routinely guide women in its management, although the effectiveness of these treatments is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness of conservative interventions to reduce the presence and width of DRAM in pregnant and postnatal women. DATA SOURCES: EMBASE, Medline, CINAHL, PUBMED, AMED and PEDro searched until August 2021. STUDY SELECTION/ELIGIBILITY: Randomised control trials examining any conservative interventions to manage DRAM during the ante- and postnatal periods were included. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Meta-analyses were performed using a random effects model to calculate mean differences (MD) and odds ratios (OR). A GRADE approach determined the certainty of evidence for each meta-analysis. RESULTS: Sixteen trials with 698 women during the postnatal period were included. No trials evaluated interventions during the antenatal period. All interventions included some form of abdominal exercise. Other interventions included abdominal binding, kinesiotape and electrical stimulation. There was moderate certainty evidence from six trials (n = 161) that abdominal exercise led to a small reduction in inter-recti distance (MD -0.43 cm, 95% CI -0.82 to -0.05) in postnatal women compared to usual care. LIMITATIONS: Three of the 16 trials had a low risk of bias. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Conservative interventions do not lead to clinically significant reductions in inter-recti distance in women postnatally but abdominal exercises may have other physical and psychosocial benefits in the management of DRAM. Systematic Review Registration Number PROSPERO (CRD42020172529).

Screening for pelvic floor symptoms in exercising women: a survey of 636 health and exercise professionals.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to establish health and exercise professionals' (i) current practice of screening for pelvic floor (PF) symptoms in women within sports/exercise settings (ii) between-professional group differences in screening practice (iii) confidence and attitudes towards screening for PF symptoms and (iv) barrier/enablers towards engagement in future screening practice. DESIGN: Observational, cross-sectional survey. METHODS: Australian health and exercise professionals (n = 636) working with exercising women participated in a purpose-designed and piloted, online survey about PF symptom screening in professional practice. Data were analysed descriptively and groups compared using Chi-square/Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS: Survey respondents included physiotherapists (39%), personal trainers/fitness instructors (38%) and exercise physiologists (12%), with a mean of 12 years of practice (SD: 9.7, range: 0-46). One in two participants never screened women for PF symptoms; 23% screened when indicated. Pregnant/recently post-natal women (44%) were more commonly screened for PF symptoms than younger women (18-25 years:28%) and those competing in high-impact sports (32%). Reasons for not screening included waiting for patients to disclose symptoms (41%) and an absence of PF questions on screening tools (37%). Most participants were willing to screen PF symptoms but cited a lack of knowledge, training and confidence as barriers. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for PF symptoms in exercising women is not common practice, especially in at-risk groups such as young, high-impact athletes. Including PF questions in existing pre-exercise questionnaires and providing professional development to improve knowledge of indications for screening and evidence-based management options may facilitate early symptom identification and prevent secondary exercise cessation.

The feasibility of pelvic floor training to treat urinary incontinence in women with breast cancer: a telehealth intervention trial.

PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility of recruiting into a pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) program delivered via telehealth to treat urinary incontinence (UI) in women with breast cancer on aromatase inhibitors. METHODS: We conducted a pre-post single cohort clinical trial with 54 women with breast cancer. Participants underwent a 12-week PFMT program using an intra-vaginal pressure biofeedback device: femfit®. The intervention included eight supervised individual PFMT sessions over Zoom™ and a 12-week home exercise program. The primary outcome of this study was feasibility, specifically consent rate. Secondary outcomes which included prevalence and burden of UI measured using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength measured as intravaginal squeeze pressure were compared using McNemar's and paired t tests. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 50 years (SD ± 7.3). All women who were eligible to participate in this study consented (n = 55/55, 100%). All participants reported that the program was beneficial and tailored to their needs. The results showed a statistically significant decline in the prevalence (percentage difference 42%, 95% CI 28, 57%) and burden (ICIQ-UI SF score mean change 9.4, 95% CI 8.5, 10.4) of UI post intervention. A significant increase in PFM strength was observed post-intervention (mean change 4.8 mmHg, 95% CI 3.9, 5.5). CONCLUSION: This study indicated that PFMT delivered via telehealth may be feasible and potentially beneficial in treating stress UI in women with breast cancer. Further studies such as randomized controlled trials are required to confirm these results.

Occurrence and impact of pelvic floor dysfunction in women with and without breast cancer: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: One of the sequalae of breast cancer treatments may be pelvic floor (PF) dysfunction such as urinary incontinence (UI), faecal incontinence (FI), and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the occurrence and related distress and impact of PF dysfunction between women with and without breast cancer. METHODS: Women with and without breast cancer participated in this cross-sectional study. The Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire were used to quantify the prevalence and related distress, and impact of PF dysfunction. Factors associated with PF outcomes were examined using logistic and linear regressions while controlling for known risk factors for PF dysfunction (age, body mass index, and parity). RESULTS: 120 women with breast cancer, and 170 women without breast cancer responded. The occurrence of any type of UI was higher in women with breast cancer than women without breast cancer (percentage difference=17%; 95% CI: 7, 29). Women with breast cancer experienced higher impact of urinary symptoms (mean difference=18.2; 95% CI: 8.9, 27.7) compared to those without. Multivariable analysis indicated that having breast cancer (ß 0.33; 95%CI: 0.08, 0.51) was the strongest predictor of greater impact of urinary symptoms. CONCLUSION: Women with breast cancer reported a higher occurrence and impact of urinary symptoms than women without breast cancer. While further studies are required to confirm our findings, routine screening and offering treatment for urinary symptoms may be indicated for women with breast cancer.

Experiences of pelvic floor dysfunction and treatment in women with breast cancer: a qualitative study.

PURPOSE: To explore the experiences of women with breast cancer and pelvic floor (PF) dysfunction and the perceived enablers and barriers to uptake of treatment for PF dysfunction during their recovery. METHOD: Purposive sampling was used to recruit 30 women with a past diagnosis of breast cancer and PF dysfunction. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data were analysed inductively to identify new concepts in the experiences of PF dysfunction in women with breast cancer and deductively according to the capability, opportunity, motivation and behaviour (COM-B) framework to identify the enablers and barriers to the uptake of treatment for PF dysfunction in women with breast cancer. RESULTS: Participants were aged between 31 and 88 years, diagnosed with stages I-IV breast cancer and experienced either urinary incontinence (n = 24/30, 80%), faecal incontinence (n = 6/30, 20%) or sexual dysfunction (n = 20/30, 67%). They were either resigned to or bothered by their PF dysfunction; bother was exacerbated by embarrassment from experiencing PF symptoms in public. Barriers to accessing treatment for PF dysfunction included a lack of awareness about PF dysfunction following breast cancer treatments and health care professionals not focussing on the management of PF symptoms during cancer treatment. An enabler was their motivation to resume their normal pre-cancer lives. CONCLUSION: Participants in this study reported that there needs to be more awareness about PF dysfunction in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. They would like to receive information about PF dysfunction prior to starting cancer treatment, be screened for PF dysfunction during cancer treatment and be offered therapies for their PF dysfunction after primary cancer treatment. Therefore, a greater focus on managing PF symptoms by clinicians may be warranted in women with breast cancer.

Pelvic floor muscle function in the standing position in women with pelvic floor dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Clinical assessment of the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) in a standing position may provide a more valid representation of PFM function experienced by patients in daily life than assessment in the lying position. The primary aim of this study was to examine PFM function in a standing versus a lying position in parous women with any type of urinary incontinence and/or pelvic organ prolapse. METHODS: In this exploratory cross-sectional study, participant symptom status was determined using the Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire. Pelvic floor muscle function was assessed in standing and lying positions with a randomised order of testing. The primary outcome measure was vaginal squeeze pressure (VSP) using intra-vaginal manometry. Secondary outcomes included vaginal resting pressure, total PFM work and digital muscle testing. The difference between PFM function in a standing position compared with a lying position was analysed using paired t test or Wilcoxon's signed rank test. RESULTS: Vaginal squeeze pressure assessed with manometry was higher in a standing than in a lying position (p = 0.001): standing (mean [SD]) 24.90 [12.67], lying 21.15 [14.65]. In contrast, PFM strength on digital muscle testing was lower in a standing position than in a lying position. CONCLUSIONS: This study has demonstrated that PFM function in a standing position is different from that in a lying position in women with pelvic floor dysfunction. Whether the higher VSP observed in a standing position reflects a true difference in strength between positions, or a higher pressure reading due to incorrect PFM contraction technique in a standing position is uncertain. Further research with larger cohorts and a measurement tool that can accurately distinguish a rise in intra-vaginal pressure from PFM contraction rather than increasing intra-abdominal pressure is required to confirm this difference, and the clinical significance of any difference.

Pelvic Floor Symptoms Are an Overlooked Barrier to Exercise Participation: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey of 4556 Women Who Are Symptomatic.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to: (1) investigate barriers to exercise in women with pelvic floor (PF) symptoms (urinary incontinence [UI], anal incontinence [AI], and pelvic organ prolapse [POP]); (2) determine factors associated with reporting PF symptoms as a substantial exercise barrier; and (3) investigate the association between reporting PF symptoms as an exercise barrier and physical inactivity. METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey, Australian women who were 18 to 65 years of age and had PF symptoms completed an anonymous online survey (May-September 2018) containing validated PF and physical activity questionnaires: Questionnaire for Female Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis, Incontinence Severity Index, Pelvic Floor Bother Questionnaire, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Participants reported exercise barriers and the degree to which the barriers limited participation. Binary logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with (1) identifying PF symptoms as a substantial exercise barrier and (2) physical inactivity. RESULTS: In this cohort (N = 4556), 31% (n = 1429) reported PF symptoms as a substantial exercise barrier; UI was the most frequently reported barrier. Two-thirds of participants who identified POP and UI as exercise barriers had stopped exercising. The odds of reporting PF symptoms as a substantial exercise barrier were significantly higher for women with severe UI (odds ratio [OR] = 4.77; 95% CI = 3.60-6.34), high symptom bother (UI OR = 10.19; 95% CI = 7.24-14.37; POP OR = 22.38; 95% CI = 13.04-36.60; AI OR = 29.66; 95% CI = 7.21-122.07), those who had a vaginal delivery (1 birth OR = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.63-2.56), or those with a third- or fourth-degree obstetric tear (OR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.24-1.76). The odds of being physically inactive were greater in women who identified PF symptoms as an exercise barrier than in those who did not (OR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.1-1.59). CONCLUSION: One in 3 women reported PF symptoms as a substantial exercise barrier, and this was associated with increased odds of physical inactivity. IMPACT: Physical inactivity is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in women. Pelvic floor symptoms stop women participating in exercise and are associated with physical inactivity. Screening and management of PF symptoms could allow women to remain physically active across their life span. LAY SUMMARY: Pelvic floor symptoms are a substantial barrier to exercise in women of all ages, causing them to stop exercising and increasing the odds of being physical inactive. Physical therapists can screen and help women manage their PF symptoms so that they remain physically active.

Group-based pelvic floor muscle training for all women during pregnancy is more cost-effective than postnatal training for women with urinary incontinence: cost-effectiveness analysis of a systematic review.

QUESTION: What is the most cost-effective way of providing pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) to prevent or treat postpartum incontinence? DESIGN: Meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis of models of care included in a recent Cochrane systematic review. PARTICIPANTS: Pregnant and postnatal women. INTERVENTION: Supervised PFMT for preventing or treating urinary and/or faecal incontinence. OUTCOME MEASURES: Postpartum urinary or faecal incontinence. ANALYSIS: We examined the comparative incremental cost effectiveness of different approaches to successfully prevent or cure one case of incontinence. Costs were valued in Australian dollars using publicly available market rates and enterprise agreements as of 2019. Comparisons involving group-based treatment approaches were subject to sensitivity analyses where the numbers of patients attending each group were varied to identify thresholds where recommendations change. RESULTS: Seventeen trials were included for meta-analysis. Three models of care were clinically effective: individually supervised PFMT during pregnancy to prevent urinary incontinence (Model 1), group-based PFMT during pregnancy to prevent or treat urinary incontinence (Model 2) and individually supervised postnatal PFMT to treat urinary incontinence and prevent or treat faecal incontinence (Model 3). The health service costs per urinary incontinence case prevented or cured were $768 for Model 1, and $1,970 for Model 3. However, Model 2 generated a cost saving of $14 if there were eight participants per session, with greater savings if more participants attend. The health service cost per faecal incontinence case prevented or cured was $2,784 (Model 3). CONCLUSION: Providing group-based PFMT for all women during pregnancy is likely more efficient than individual PFMT for incontinent women postnatally; however, providing PFMT for postnatal women with urinary incontinence should not be discounted because of the added known benefit for preventing and treating faecal incontinence.

Peripheral, Central, and Cross Sensitization in Endometriosis-Associated Pain and Comorbid Pain Syndromes.

Endometriosis-associated pain and the mechanisms responsible for its initiation and persistence are complex and difficult to treat. Endometriosis-associated pain is experienced as dysmenorrhea, cyclical pain related to organ function including dysuria, dyschezia and dyspareunia, and persistent pelvic pain. Pain symptomatology correlates poorly with the extent of macroscopic disease. In addition to the local effects of disease, endometriosis-associated pain develops as a product of peripheral sensitization, central sensitization and cross sensitization. Endometriosis-associated pain is further contributed to by comorbid pain conditions, such as bladder pain syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, abdomino-pelvic myalgia and vulvodynia. This article will review endometriosis-associated pain, its mechanisms, and its comorbid pain syndromes with a view to aiding the clinician in navigating the literature and terminology of pain and pain syndromes. Limitations of our current understanding of endometriosis-associated pain will be acknowledged. Where possible, commonalities in pain mechanisms between endometriosis-associated pain and comorbid pain syndromes will be highlighted.

Prevalence and impact of bladder and bowel disorders in women with breast cancer: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: One of the consequences of breast cancer treatments may be the onset of new, or aggravation of preexisting bladder and bowel disorders. However, the presence and impact of these disorders in women with breast cancer are poorly documented. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the prevalence, incidence and impact of bladder and bowel disorders in women undergoing breast cancer treatment. METHODS: A systematic search of six databases was conducted. Pooled prevalence rates and impact of bladder and bowel disorders were calculated using random-effects models. RESULTS: A total of 32 studies met the inclusion criteria, and 17 studies were included in the meta-analyses. The pooled estimate of women who experienced bladder disorders following sensitivity analysis, which removed one study reporting a result that deviated from the pooled estimate, was 38% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 32%-44%; I2 = 98%; n = 4584). The impact of bladder and bowel disorders on women's daily lives was relatively low (bladder [scale: 0-4]: mean: 0.8; 95% CI: 0.4-1.1; I2 = 99%; n = 4908; bowel [scale: 0-100]: mean 14.2; 95% CI: 9.4-19; I2 = 95%; n = 1024). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to comprehensively document the magnitude of bladder and bowel disorders in the breast cancer population. This meta-analysis found that women with breast cancer had a higher prevalence of urinary incontinence (38%) compared to women without breast cancer (21%). Given the extent and impact of our findings, screening and management of bladder and bowel disorders may be indicated in women with breast cancer to improve their health-related quality of life.

A consumer co-created infographic improves short-term knowledge about physical activity and self-efficacy to exercise in women with gestational diabetes mellitus: a randomised trial.

QUESTION: In women with gestational diabetes mellitus, does the addition of a consumer co-created infographic to usual education about gestational diabetes mellitus improve knowledge about physical activity and self-efficacy to exercise? DESIGN: A randomised trial with concealed allocation, a blinded assessor and intention-to-treat analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-nine women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus. INTERVENTION: In addition to gestational diabetes education, the experimental group received a paper copy of a consumer co-created infographic about physical activity during a gestational diabetes pregnancy. The control group received gestational diabetes education alone. OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants completed outcome measures at baseline and again 1 week later. Knowledge of physical activity in a gestational diabetes mellitus pregnancy was assessed using a 19-item questionnaire modified to reflect current physical activity guidelines, with a total score from 0% (worst) to 100% (best). Self-efficacy was measured using the nine-item Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale, with a total score from 0 (not confident) to 10 (very confident). RESULTS: Provision of the infographic led to a clinically important between-group difference in knowledge (MD 12%, 95% CI 10 to 15) and self-efficacy (MD 2.5 units, 95% CI 1.9 to 3.0). CONCLUSION: In women with gestational diabetes mellitus, short-term knowledge about physical activity and self-efficacy to exercise were improved when usual education was supplemented with a consumer co-created infographic that provided specific and relevant information about physical activity during a gestational diabetes mellitus pregnancy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12619001207101.

Establishing measurement properties in the assessment of inter-recti distance of the abdominal muscles in a postnatal women.

BACKGROUND: Diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle is often evaluated in clinical practice but it is unknown which clinical method has the best measurement properties. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine: (i) the criterion validity of the callipers, tape measure and finger-width to evaluate the inter-recti distance of the abdominal muscles compared to ultrasound; and (ii) inter-rater and retest reliability of these methods. DESIGN: Measurement study. METHODS: Two physiotherapists assessed the inter-recti distance of rectus abdominis on 50 women postnatally using the three clinical methods. These measurements were compared to ultrasound and assessed for inter-rater and retest reliability. RESULTS: Callipers had very good positive correlations with ultrasound (r = 0.85 to 0.99) and narrow limits of agreement (LOA) (<6 mm). Finger-width and tape measure had moderate to very good correlation with ultrasound (tape measure r = 0.82 to 0.98; finger-width r = 0.75 to 0.98) with wider limits of agreement (tape measure LOA <8 mm; finger-width LOA <18 mm). Callipers demonstrated excellent inter-rater (ICC = 0.80 to 0.99) and retest (ICC = 1.00) reliability. Inter-rater reliability testing was very good for tape measure (ICC = 0.80 to 0.97) and moderate to very good (ICC = 0.44 to 0.85) for finger-width. Retest reliability demonstrated very good reliability (ICC = 0.99 to 1.00) for both finger-width and tape measure. The largest inter-recti distances, strongest correlations and reliability were found at the level of the lower umbilicus. CONCLUSION: Callipers, tape measure and finger-width are valid and reliable methods of measuring inter-recti distance in postnatal women. Validity, and relative and absolute reliability were found to be the strongest using the callipers.

The Effect of Pelvic Floor Muscle Interventions on Pelvic Floor Dysfunction After Gynecological Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review was to identify, evaluate, and synthesize the evidence from studies that have investigated the effect of nonsurgical, nonpharmacological, pelvic floor muscle interventions on any type of pelvic floor dysfunction or health-related quality of life in patients after any type of treatment for gynecological cancer. METHODS: Six electronic databases (Cochrane Library 2018, CINAHL 1982-2018, MEDLINE 1950-2018, EMBASE 1980-2018, PsycINFO 1806-2018, and EMCARE 1995-2018) were systematically searched in June 2018. Reference lists of identified articles were hand searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, and case series were included if they investigated the effects of conservative treatments, including pelvic floor muscle training or dilator training, on bladder, bowel, or sexual function in patients who had received treatment for gynecological cancer. Risk of bias was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale for RCTs and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for cohort studies. RESULTS: Five RCTs and 2 retrospective cohort studies were included (n = 886). The results provided moderate-level evidence that pelvic floor muscle training with counseling and yoga or core exercises were beneficial for sexual function (standardized mean difference = -0.96, 95% CI = -1.22 to -0.70, I2 = 0%) and health-related quality of life (standardized mean difference = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.38 to 0.88, I2 = 0%) in survivors of cervical cancer and very low-level evidence that dilator therapy reduced vaginal complications in survivors of cervical and uterine cancer (odds ratio = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.17 to 0.80, I2 = 54%). There were insufficient data for meta-analysis of bladder or bowel function. CONCLUSION: Conservative pelvic floor muscle interventions may be beneficial for improving sexual function and health-related quality of life in survivors of gynecological cancer. Given the levels of evidence reported in this review, further high-quality studies are needed, especially to investigate effects on bladder and bowel function. IMPACT: This review provides moderate-level evidence for the role of pelvic floor rehabilitation to improve health outcomes in the gynecological cancer survivorship journey. Clinicians and health service providers should consider how to provide cancer survivors the opportunity to participate in supervised pelvic floor rehabilitation programs.

An allied health rehabilitation program for patients following surgery for abdomino-pelvic cancer: a feasibility and pilot clinical study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility of conducting a rehabilitation program for patients following surgery for abdomino-pelvic cancer. METHODS: A non-randomised controlled before-and-after study. Patients who had undergone surgery for stage I-III abdomino-pelvic cancer (colorectal, gynaecological or prostate cancer) were recruited. The rehabilitation group (n = 84) received an 8-week, bi-weekly education and exercise program conducted by a physiotherapist, exercise physiologist, health psychologist and dietician, supplemented by exercise diaries and telephone coaching sessions. The comparator group (n = 104) completed postal questionnaires only. Feasibility measures, functional exercise capacity, muscle strength, physical activity levels, pelvic floor symptoms, anxiety and depression, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and self-efficacy were measured at baseline (time 1), immediately post-intervention (time 2) and at 6 months post-baseline (time 3) and compared within- and between-groups. RESULTS: The consent rate to the rehabilitation program was 24%. Eighty-one percent of the rehabilitation group attended 85-100% of 16 scheduled sessions. Overall satisfaction with the program was 96%. Functional exercise capacity, handgrip strength in males, bowel symptoms, physical activity levels, depression and HRQoL were significantly improved in the rehabilitation group (p < 0.05) at time 2. The improvements in all these outcomes were sustained at time 3. The rehabilitation group had significantly improved physical activity levels, depression and HRQoL compared with the comparator group at times 2 and 3 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Recruitment to this oncology rehabilitation program was more difficult than expected; however, attendance and patient satisfaction were high. This program had positive effects on several important clinical outcomes in patients following abdomino-pelvic cancer treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ANZCTR 12614000580673.

Motor Function and Perception of Health in Women with Provoked Vestibulodynia.

BACKGROUND: Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a prevalent and disabling condition in women that may be associated with reduced quality of life and impairment of physical functioning. AIM: To investigate whether women with PVD have different motor functions, posture and breathing patterns, and whether they perceive their physical health differently, compared with asymptomatic controls. METHODS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The Standardized Mensendieck Test (SMT) and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) were used to assess differences between 35 women with PVD and 35 healthy controls. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in any of the 5 motor domains of the SMT between the women with PVD and those without PVD: standing posture, 4.0 (0.6) vs 5.0 (0.6); gait, 4.7 (0.6) vs 4.8 (0.6); movement, 4.8 (0.8) vs 5.1 (0.6); sitting posture, 4.7 (1.0) vs 4.9 (0.8); respiration, 4.7 (1.0) vs 4.7 (0.9). Women with PVD scored significantly lower in all domains on the SF-36 (adjusted Bonferroni P = .002) except physical functioning. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Given the lack of difference in the SF-36 physical functioning domain and in all 5 domains of the SMT between women with PVD and those without PVD, the value of interventions focusing on general physical function is unclear. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: A study strength is the use of an assessor-blinded case-control design, trained physiotherapists to conduct the tests, and valid and reliable outcome measures. A limitation is the homogeneity of the sample of young nulliparous women, which limits the generalizability of our findings to other study populations. CONCLUSION: Young nulliparous women with PVD did not score differently from a group of healthy controls on assessment of overall physical functioning or on standing posture, gait, movement, sitting posture, and respiration. However, the score for perception of general health was lower in the women with PVD compared with controls. I. Næss, H.C. Frawley, K. Bø. Motor Function and Perception of Health in Women with Provoked Vestibulodynia. J Sex Med 2019;16:1060-1067.

Pelvic floor outcomes in patients who have undergone general rehabilitation following surgery for colorectal cancer: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of evidence on changes in pelvic floor outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) following general oncology rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE: In patients following surgery for CRC, to explore changes in pelvic floor muscle function before and after a general oncology rehabilitation program; and to compare pelvic floor symptoms in patients undergoing the rehabilitation program to a matched control group. METHODS: This pilot study was conducted as an observational study nested within a prospective study evaluating the feasibility of a general oncology rehabilitation program for patients following surgery for abdomino-pelvic cancer. In this nested study, pelvic floor muscle function was measured in 10 participants with CRC (rehabilitation group) before and immediately after the 8-week rehabilitation program and at 6-month follow-up. Data of 10 matched participants from the prospective study who completed questionnaires only at the same assessment time points were used as a control group. Symptom measurement tools were the Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire (APFQ) and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Bowel module (ICIQ-B). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data on pelvic floor muscle function of the rehabilitation group, and repeated measures analysis of variance was used to assess within- and between-group changes in pelvic floor symptom scores over time in the rehabilitation group and control group matched for gender and level of tumor. RESULTS: Scores in the bowel domain of the APFQ (p = 0.037) and bowel control domain of the ICIQ-B (p = 0.026) improved in the rehabilitation group only and the improvement in ICIQ-B was sustained at 6-month follow-up. There were no significant differences in bladder and bowel symptoms between the rehabilitation and matched control groups (p > 0.05) at any assessment time-point. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing a general rehabilitation program following surgery for CRC demonstrated improved bowel symptoms from pre- to post-rehabilitation program; however, there were no differences when compared with matched controls who did not undertake rehabilitation. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer-term follow-up are needed confirm these findings.