Does trunk muscle training with an oscillating rod improve urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy? A prospective randomized controlled trial.
Marc Heydenreich, Christian Puta, Holger Hw Gabriel and 3 others
PMID 31858823WHAT IT FOUND
Adding oscillating rod training to standard pelvic floor exercises reduced urine loss more than relaxation alone after three weeks.
The biggest benefit was in men losing over 50 grams on a one-hour pad test, where the improvement was large.
Key findings
01The intervention group had significantly greater reduction in urine loss on both 1-hour and 24-hour pad tests compared to the control group.
02Men with severe incontinence (losing more than 50 grams on the 1-hour pad test) showed the largest benefit from the oscillating rod training.
03Health-related quality of life improved significantly more in the intervention group than in the control group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study only lasted three weeks, so it is unknown if the benefits persist long-term. The effect size for the difference between groups was small for the overall population, driven largely by the subgroup with severe incontinence. Patients and therapists were not blinded to the treatment assignment. The control group received relaxation therapy, not a sham physical intervention, so it is unclear if the benefit comes from the rod specifically or from additional physical attention.
Declared interests
The study was funded by Haider Bioswing GmbH, the manufacturer of the oscillating rod used in the intervention. The authors declared no conflicts of interest and stated the funder had no role in design, analysis, or writing.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this treatment works equally well for all incontinent patients. The significant benefit was concentrated in men with severe leakage (>50g on the 1-hour test). For men with mild leakage, the additional benefit over standard care was small.