Efeito de um programa de treinamento do assoalho pélvico na qualidade de vida de mulheres com esclerose múltipla

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of two programs for strengthening the pelvic floor on the urinary incontinence of patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Design: prospective study of the clinical trial type, monitored for 6 months, in which 24 women in the moderate stage of Multiple Sclerosis participated in a program for strengthening the pelvic floor – associated or not with vaginal electrotherapy. The variables analyzed were: quality of life, overactivity of the bladder, perineal contraction and level of anxiety and depression. The statistical procedures involved multivariate analyses of repeated measurements, with a significance of 5%. Results: Initial homogeneity being observed in the anthropometric and clinical variables, both protocols resulted in improvements in quality of life (p=0.001), overactive bladder (p=0.001), perineal contraction (p=0.004), level of anxiety (p=0.001) and depression (p=0.001), in relation to the initial comparison. The association of electrotherapy with strengthening exercises increased the improvement of the patients regarding overactive bladder (p=0.039) and perineal contraction (p=0.001), in comparison with the control group. Conclusions: The results reinforce the benefit of exercises for strengthening the musculature of the pelvic floor in women with overactive bladder in Multiple Sclerosis, and demonstrate a potential of the action when associated with vaginal electrotherapy, reducing the symptoms of the lower urinary tract.