The pelvic floor muscles (PFM) are a group of muscles that help control bladder and bowel storage and emptying. They also play an important role in sexual health. We want to examine whether exercise-based PFM training can improve PFM function in people with chronic motor-incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI).
Participants will be prescribed PFM training exercises to complete at home and at ICORD for 3 months. The initial sessions will be guided by a pelvic floor physiotherapist. We will conduct neurological assessments before, during, and after the intervention period. We will also contact participants by phone or email 3 and 6 months after the exercise period to complete surveys about your bowel and bladder function and sexual health.
Why should you participate?
It is possible that participants may experience positive changes in their bladder, bowel, and/or sexual function. However, the extent and duration of improvements is not currently known or guaranteed.
You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:
- At least 19 years of age
- Have a motor-incomplete SCI that occurred at least 12 months ago
- Experiencing bladder or urinary tract dysfunction due to your SCI
You may not be eligible to participate if you:
- Planning to receive intra-detrusor Botox injections in the next 6 months
- Experiencing severe pain that limits the ability to participate in training
- Experiencing any other condition besides SCI that impacts pelvic structures
Time commitment: 3 month period of PFM training exercise prescription to complete at home and at ICORD, with follow-up surveys 3 and 6 months post-intervention.
Compensation for participation: You will receive an honorarium upon completion of the study.
This study will take place at: ICORD/Blusson Spinal Cord Centre (818 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver)
For more information or to sign up to participate, please contact study coordinator Jiho Song by email or phone at (604) 675-8815.
