Effect of Kegel Exercise on Urinary Incontinence among Institutionalized Elderly in Lattakia, Syria

Urinary incontinence is a prevalent, costly, yet ignored problem among elderly. Kegel
exercise is an effective, non-harmful, of very low complication rates, and a very highly
successful treatment for urinary incontinence. Objective: To determine the effect of Kegel
exercise on urinary incontinence among institutionalized elderly in Lattakia, Syria. Setting:
The study was carried out in the three available residential homes for elderly people in
Lattakia, Syria. These were Dar Al Raha, Dar Al Mowasat, and Dar Al Ber. Subjects: The
study comprised 30 elderly persons with urinary incontinence. They were divided randomly to
two equal groups (group -1-: experimental group and group -2-: control group. Elders in
group -1- performed the Kegel exercise for three months in four sessions per day for fifty
contractions (5 seconds for each contraction) followed by fifty resting phases (10 seconds for
each one) in each session with a total of 200 contractions per day. Elders in group -2- were
left to their routine treatment. Tools: Participants were interviewed individually to collect the
necessary data using a structured interview sheet and the revised urinary incontinence scale
(RUIS) which was repeated after 3 months for both the control group and those who
performed Kegel exercise to evaluate its effect on the urinary incontinence status. Results:
The Kegel exercise had a positive effect on the urinary incontinence status of elders who
practiced it. Four of the 15 (26.7%) elders in group 1 were cured completely and five (35.7%)
showed improvement in their symptoms. Among the control group the condition of four elders
worsened (26.7%) while for the rest the condition did not change. This improvement was
related significantly with age, gender, duration of stay in the home, and incontinence
duration. Conclusion: The Kegel exercise improved urinary incontinence status significantly.
Recommendations: Early identification of elders with urinary incontinence. Educate and
motivate elders with urinary incontinence to perform Kegel exercise regularly in order to
improve their condition.