Muscles Ligaments and Tendons Journal · Apr 13, 2026
Neuromuscular Function in Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT) for Elderly Individuals with Urinary Incontinence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
By Hidayah N, Furqonita D
Background: Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is widely recommended for managing urinary incontinence (UI), especially in aging populations. However, the evidence of neuromuscular function following PFMT remains limited. The objective of this study is to investigate the improvement in neuromuscular function after PFMT and assess potential differences based on participants’ age. Method: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted by screening randomized controlled trial (RCTs) studies. The selection of studies followed inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subgroup analyses were performed to compare outcomes between studies with the middle-age and elderly group. Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4.1 software. Results: A total 10 RCT studies were included, total participants, number of the middle-age & elderly subgroup. Analyses on the middle-age subgroup, PFMT significantly improved pelvic floor muscle strength (MD = -0.53; 95% CI: -1.04 to -0.03; p = 0.04; I2 = 58%). In contrast, elderly subgroups showed non-significant (MD = -3.36; 95% CI: -6.83 to 0.12; p = 0.06; I2 = 97%). Conclusion: PFMT intervention shows effectiveness in increasing pelvic floor muscle strength in adults 45-59 years old (middle-age group). Meanwhile, the elderly subgroups (> 60 years old) did not show a statistically significant benefit, which may be influenced by number of subjects in subgroup and high number of vaginal delivery factors. Additionally, high heterogeneity in elderly subgroups emphasized the need for more targeted and high-quality RCTs that focus specifically on elderly populations.