Implementing a training package for primary care clinicians to support women to do their Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises for the prevention and management of incontinence: the Pflexi Study.

Accidental urine leakage (incontinence) affects the wellbeing of women throughout their lives; sometimes starting early with teenagers’ ‘giggle’ incontinence or leakage during sports. Ten percent of women aged between 19 and 30 experience incontinence, one in three during pregnancy, nearly half after childbirth and many still experience symptoms years later.

Incontinence places high burden on NHS resources and society. Pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME) are effective yet PFME education is limited or too late, many women do not do PFME routinely. Instead they experience guilt, blaming themselves for leakage, wishing they had known about PFME. Embarrassment and assumptions that incontinence is ‘normal’ prevents help seeking.

Co-applicant

 Emma Pitchforth

Amount awarded: £45,561