EFFECTS OF ABDOMINAL HYPOPRESSIVE EXERCISES ON THE PELVIC FLOOR: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

 Introduction: the aim of this systematic review is to know the effects of hypopressive abdominal exercises in pelvic floor muscles in woman. Material and method: Medline, Scopus, WOS, Sport Discus, PEDro, CINHAl, Cochrane and ENFISPO were consulted in September and October 2016. Seven studies have been included. These studies analyzed the effect of an intervention of hypopressive abdominal exercises, through an assessment of the pelvic floor muscles tone. Two reviewers independently analyzed the level of evidence of the studies through the Scottish Inter-collegiate Guidelines Network. Results: A total of 183 women have been studied. Compared with the control group or with the baseline measurements, significant improvements in pelvic floor muscles tone were obtained, but no greater than performing pelvic floor strengthening exercises. Only 2 out of the 7 analyzed articles have a control group, and their methodological quality is low. In addition, none of the cases monitor the patients in order to check for long-term effects. Conclusions: Scientific evidence about the effect of hypopressive abdominal exercises on the pelvic floor musculature is limited. It has been found hypopressives produce an improvement on the pelvic floor basal tone, but no differences were found regarding training through the exercise of the pelvic floor muscles alone.