Combined Kegel Exercise and Warm Acupuncture Therapy for Women with Postpartum PFD

The goal of a recent study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of combining warm acupuncture with Kegel exercises in treating postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction.

This study included 70 primiparous women with postpartum pelvic floor muscle (PFM) injury. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups – the combination group (n=35) that receivedwarm acupuncture at the Zhibian (BL54) acupoint and Kegel exercises, and the sham control group (n=35) that was given sham warm acupuncture and Kegel exercises. Both groups underwent treatment three times a week for four consecutive weeks. The study assessed PFM strength recovery, changes in Urethral Rotation Angle (URA), Bladder Neck Descent (BND), and Retrovesical Angle (RVA) via pelvic floor ultrasound, as well as scores from pelvic floor dysfunction-related questionnaires and urinary incontinence treatment efficacy before and after treatment.

Post-treatment results indicated that the combination group showed significantly better recovery rates in types I and II PFM strength, improved pelvic floor ultrasound parameters, higher scores on pelvic floor dysfunction-related scales, and more effective urinary incontinence treatment that the sham control group.

It was concluded that combining warm acupuncture with Kegel exercises significantly enhances PFM strength and aids in postpartum pelvic floor function recovery. The findings supportthe effectiveness of using a single acupoint, contributing to the precision and standardization of acupuncture techniques.

Source: Dai J, Jin Z, Zhang X, et al. International Urogynecology Journal. 2024 Mar;35(3):599-608.