Impact of Staged Rehabilitation Training on Urinary Incontinence Recovery After Radical Prostatectomy: A Retrospective Analysis

To evaluate the clinical impact of staged rehabilitation training on the recovery of urinary incontinence (UI) after radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer and to identify factors associated with recovery outcomes and training adherence. In this retrospective cohort study, 169 patients who underwent robot-assisted RP at our hospital between June 2023 and December 2024 were included. Based on postoperative management with/without staged rehabilitation training, patients were assigned to a rehabilitation group or a conventional group. The rehabilitation group received a structured and staged pelvic floor muscle-training and behavioral-guidance protocol, whereas the conventional group received only basic health education. UI recovery rates and scores on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Short Form (ICIQ-SF) were compared at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Independent predictors of UI recovery were analyzed using a Cox proportional-hazards model. Within the rehabilitation group, factors associated with adherence were examined using logistic regression. The rehabilitation group showed significantly higher UI recovery rates at all postoperative time points and lower ICIQ-SF scores. Staged rehabilitation training was an independent protective factor for UI recovery (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.048), whereas older age (HR = 0.765) and higher Gleason score (HR = 0.551) were independent risk factors. Within the rehabilitation group, higher adherence was associated with better recovery and lower ICIQ-SF scores (all p < .05). Logistic regression further indicated that age was an independent predictor of adherence (odds ratio [OR] = 0.713). Staged rehabilitation training distinctly accelerates UI recovery after RP and serves as an independent facilitator of continence restoration.