CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT00549458Updated Sep 18, 2009

Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Traditional Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation to Pilates in Increasing Pelvic Muscles Strength.

An interventional study of Pilates and Pelvic muscle rehabilitation therapy in Muscle Weakness, sponsored by Atlantic Health System. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2009-09-18.

Sponsored by Atlantic Health System · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
60
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

The objective of this randomized controlled trial is to determine whether a standardized Pilates exercise program can effectively strengthen pelvic floor muscles when compared with conventional pelvic muscle rehabilitation.

Urinary incontinence is a widespread problem that affects 10-40% of all ambulatory women and pelvic floor muscle training is an effective treatment for this problem. However, its efficacy is proportionate to the effort expended. Even among women who are diligent with pelvic muscle rehabilitation, long term follow-up reveals that benefits are lost in the absence of maintenance exercises.

While this intervention is effective, recent studies demonstrate that long term adherence to treatment is low. As compliance appears to be a prerequisite to achieving sustained benefit, finding a method of pelvic muscle strengthening that better lends itself to long term commitment could prove beneficial.

The currently popular exercise program, known as Pilates (named after founder, Joseph Pilates) consists of a series of low impact, flexibility and muscle toning exercises. The philosophy centers around developing core strength which includes strengthening the pelvic floor. Its use has been described in the US since the 1920s.4 Five million Americans currently participate, as opposed to five thousand ten years ago.5 Given its mainstream popularity, Pilates would be an appealing as a therapeutic modality for women experiencing pelvic muscle weakness. Currently, there are no studies that assess the efficacy of Pilates in increasing pelvic muscle strength.

02

Conditions studied

  • Muscle Weakness

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Keywords

  • Week pelvic floor muscle in females
03

In context

Muscle Weakness

601 studies on the registry are indexed under Muscle Weakness; 99 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 60 is above the median of 46 across 444 interventional studies indexed under Muscle Weakness.

Browse Muscle Weakness studies →

Lead sponsor

Atlantic Health System is the lead sponsor of 61 studies on the registry; 10 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Women 18 yrs or older

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy
  • No pelvic organ prolapse beyond the hymenal ring.
  • Age or medical condition that make it difficult for patient to tolerate exam or follow verbal instructions.
  • Pacemakers
  • IUDs
  • Vaginal infections or urinary tract infections
  • Medical or physical conditions which exclude the proper performance of Pilates.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
60 participants (estimated)

Interventions

  • BehavioralPilates

    The currently popular exercise program, known as Pilates (named after founder, Joseph Pilates) consists of a series of low impact, flexibility and muscle toning exercises. The philosophy centers around developing core strength which includes strengthening the pelvic floor. Its use has been described in the US since the 1920s.4 Five million Americans currently participate, as opposed to five thousand ten years ago.5 Given its mainstream popularity, Pilates would be an appealing as a therapeutic modality for women experiencing pelvic muscle weakness. Currently, there are no studies that assess the efficacy of Pilates in increasing pelvic muscle strength.

  • ProcedurePelvic muscle rehabilitation therapy

    The currently popular exercise program, known as Pilates (named after founder, Joseph Pilates) consists of a series of low impact, flexibility and muscle toning exercises. The philosophy centers around developing core strength which includes strengthening the pelvic floor. Its use has been described in the US since the 1920s.4 Five million Americans currently participate, as opposed to five thousand ten years ago.5 Given its mainstream popularity, Pilates would be an appealing as a therapeutic modality for women experiencing pelvic muscle weakness. Currently, there are no studies that assess the efficacy of Pilates in increasing pelvic muscle strength.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Increase pelvic floor strength

    Time frame: Over a 12 week period of time

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Office of Urogynecolgy 95 Madison Avenue Suite 204
    Morristown, New Jersey 07960, United States
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 18, 2009, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00549458
Lead sponsor
Atlantic Health System
First posted
Oct 25, 2007
Start date
Apr 2006
Primary completion
Mar 2008
Completion
Mar 2009
Last update
Sep 18, 2009

Study contacts

Patrick Culligan, MD
principal investigator · Atlantic Health Urogynecology

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Sep 2009. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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