Research performed in Australia and published this year in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology shows continence physiotherapy is an effective and risk-free treatment, which should be recommended as first-line approach for women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), before consideration of surgery. The ground-breaking study shows up to 84% of women with SUI can be dry with continence physiotherapy, and cure rates equal to surgery for these women. Women with SUI typically leak urine when coughing, sneezing or during physical activities, causing significant physical and emotional impact. A year later, all those who finished treatment were followed up: 78% of those who responded were still satisfied or very satisfied with the outcome and 85% did not want further treatment. Further results to be published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, show continence physiotherapy is not only effective but also a low cost option (around $300 for a course of treatment - free in New Zealand) when compared with traditional surgical treatment, which was estimated at over $6000. (NZ Continence Association)

Women suffering from urinary incontinence can benefit from pelvic floor muscle training, commonly known as Kegel exercises, according to a new review of studies.

A supervised regimen of Kegel exercises for at least three months was found to be especially effective for stress incontinence. Men also can use Kegel exercises, but were not included in the analysis.

The systematic review, led by Jean Hay-Smith, Ph.D., of the Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, was based on data from six randomized controlled trials involving 403 women.