Studies have proved that frequent, low-intensity yoga, stretching, and strengthening exercises can help older women who are affected by incontinence. Researchers at Stanford Medicine and the University of California, San Francisco have taken up this study for developing low-risk, low-cost treatments for a condition that affects aging women worldwide.
The study found that low-impact yoga exercises reduced incontinence episodes by an amazing 65 percent after 12 weeks. Meanwhile, women in a control group who engaged in stretching and strengthening activities saw similar improvements over the same period. Researchers found these benefits comparable to those from incontinence medications.
The senior author of the study, Leslee Subak, MD, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford Medicine, underscored the accessibility of the yoga program. “Our study tested yoga that almost anyone can do, with modifications for different physical abilities,” she said. “It’s safe, inexpensive, and doesn’t require a doctor’s visit. Many participants received their instructions online, making it even more accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The research was led by Alison Huang, MD, professor of medicine, urology, and epidemiology and biostatistics at UCSF. More than half of middle-aged women and up to 80 percent of those over age 80 experience urinary incontinence. It can contribute to social isolation and serious conditions such as bone fractures from falls. However effective treatments exist.
“It’s a very significant quality-of-life issue,” said Dr. Leslee Subak, an obstetrician and gynecologist at UCSF. “Incontinence affects independence. Many patients avoid activities, such as staying with family or engaging in social events, due to embarrassment,” Subak said. “It’s a significant factor in falls and fractures among older women.”
Whereas some causes of incontinence, like aging or childbirth, can’t be changed, others can. “If someone does change their behavior and they do improve, that’s fabulous,” Subak says physical activity and weight loss can have a salutary effect on incontinence. Her interest in yoga arose from patient feedback indicating its benefits.
The study randomized participants to either yoga or a control group that did stretching and strengthening exercises but not with a focus on the pelvic floor. It compared two 12-week exercise programs: 121 were assigned to yoga, and 119 were in a control group. Participants aged 45 to 90 years with daily symptoms of incontinence attended two 90-minute yoga sessions per week along with practicing an extra hour per week on their own and keeping a practice log.
Members of the control group also participated in exercise classes of equal length but with a focus on general stretching and strengthening. They were also asked to practice an extra hour a week and keep a log.
First, the study used in-person classes, which, due to COVID-19 restrictions, for some time turned into online meetings. The participants charted their leakage episodes, distinguished between urgency incontinence inability to delay a frequent urge to urinate, and stress incontinence inability to stop urine release due to abdominal pressure. They also completed standard bladder function questionnaires.
At baseline, participants reported an average of 3.4 incontinence episodes daily. The breakdown was 1.9 urgency episodes and 1.4 stress episodes. By the end of 12 weeks, yoga participants were experiencing 2.3 fewer episodes daily. Compared with a reduction of 1.9 daily for controls.
Both proved similarly effective, with incontinence episodes reduced by roughly 60 percent. Subak added that those interested in trying these approaches should seek low-impact Iyengar yoga or exercise classes, where instructors can adapt poses to physical limitations.
Subak expressed her admiration for the success of both yoga and exercise. She emphasized, “One key message is to stay active. Both approaches have very substantial benefits not only for incontinence but also for overall health.” Other non-surgical treatments tend to produce a 30 percent to 70 percent improvement in symptoms. For those who might want to give yoga a try, Subak says it is low-risk and has possible benefits for general health and well-being.
ANI
