How effective are behavioral methods for urinary incontinence (UI)?

Bladder training

• Bladder training does not work well for everyone. But some people benefit significantly.
• Many people who use bladder training have fewer symptoms of incontinence. For some people, the incontinence completely stops.

Biofeedback

There is not a lot of evidence for biofeedback combined with other behavioral therapies for urinary incontinence. More research is needed.

Pelvic floor muscle training in men

Two reviews were done of men using pelvic floor muscle training to improve continence after prostate surgery. Results were not the same, but there does seem to be a benefit in men who do pelvic floor muscle exercises. One review showed that pelvic floor muscle training did help men control leakage of urine after a radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. But the other review showed no benefit overall in men trying pelvic floor muscle training after any prostate surgery.

Another study showed that men who did pelvic floor muscle exercises after prostate surgery had much improved urine leakage compared to men who did not do the exercises.

Pelvic floor muscle training in women

Women who do Kegel exercises are more likely to improve, and even cure, their incontinence. These women had fewer leakage problems a day and said their quality of life was better. Women who do these exercises during and after pregnancy can reduce their chance of urine leakage after delivery.

Women who did these exercises for urinary incontinence (urge, stress or mixed incontinence) got better. The exercises seem to work better in women who have stress urinary incontinence and who keep doing the exercises.