A Multimodal Rehabilitation Approach to Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Case Report

BACKGROUND: Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) is the involuntary loss of urine, which affects physical activity levels and quality of life. The multidimensional etiology of SUI requires a systematic examination and intervention plan beyond the pelvic floor (PF) including the thorax, abdomen, pelvis, and hip. Blood flow restriction therapy (BFR) is not well established in PF rehabilitation, but it may augment the benefits of hip strengthening programs to address SUI. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient is a 54-year-old woman diagnosed with SUI. She also reported right hip and right sacral pain. She received interventions sequentially addressing impairments in the pelvic floor (PF), hip, pelvis, and thorax that contributed to her SUI. She received BFR to improve strength and endurance in the PF, hip, and pelvic regions. OUTCOME AND FOLLOW-UP: SUI, PF strength, urinary urgency, and hip pain improved with PF and musculoskeletal based interventions. SUI symptoms significantly improved at discharge after completing BFR treatment. DISCUSSION: SUI is influenced by impairments of the thorax, abdomen, and pelvis, especially in the athletic population. BFR may be beneficial for patients with functional PF weakness.