Pelvic Floor Yoga for Women with Overactive Bladder-Wet: A Subgroup Analysis of a Multisite Randomized Trial
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Pelvic floor yoga has been proposed as a community-based therapeutic modality for disruptive overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms such as urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) and urinary frequency, but evidence of its efficacy is limited. We examined the efficacy of pelvic floor yoga versus nonspecific physical conditioning exercise for managing OAB-wet symptoms in women. METHODS: We present a prespecified subgroup analysis of women with OAB-wet in a multicenter trial involving randomization to 12 weeks of group instruction and self-directed practice of pelvic floor yoga techniques versus time-equivalent instruction and practice of skeletal muscle conditioning exercises. Linear mixed models examined changes in OAB symptoms over 6 and 12 weeks assessed by diary and the Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6). RESULTS: Among 140 women with OAB-wet (71 randomized to pelvic floor yoga, 69 to physical conditioning), mean baseline UUI frequency was 2.8 (± 1.9) episodes/day. Average UUI frequency decreased by 1.9 episodes/day in the yoga and 1.6 episodes/day in the physical conditioning group over 6 and 12 weeks (nonsignificant between-group difference of -0.3 episodes/day [95% CI -0.7, 0.2]). UDI-6 scores decreased by 10.3 points with yoga and 3.3 with physical conditioning, although neither within-group change was significant. The between-group difference was -7.1 [95% CI -12.2, -1.8]), favoring yoga. Modestly greater improvements in daytime voiding were observed with yoga (between-group difference -0.7 episodes/day [95% CI -1.4, -0.01]. CONCLUSIONS: Women with OAB-wet symptoms reported improvement from both pelvic floor yoga and general physical conditioning exercise, with yoga showing modestly greater reductions in urinary distress and daytime voiding frequency.
Institutions: Stanford University, University of California, San Francisco
Language: English
Subfield: Urology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,790
Awards: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Group-Based Therapeutic Yoga Intervention for Urinary Incontinence in Ambulatory Older Women, Midcareer Mentoring in Patient-Oriented Research on Genitourinary Aging in Women, Transdermal Nitroglycerin Therapy for Menopausal Hot Flashes, Improving Overactive Bladder Treatment Access and Adherence Through Personalized Behavioral Modifications and Mobile Technology-Based Interventions
OpenAlex ID: W7223112251