Correlation of Respiratory Muscle Strength and Urinary Incontinence in Geriatrics : Pilot Study

Purpose: This study aims to explore the relationship between respiratory muscle strength and urinary incontinence in elderly individuals.Purpose: This study aims to explore the relationship between respiratory muscle strength and urinary incontinence in elderly individuals.

Methods: A total 10 participants aged 65 and over with a Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of ≥24 were included in the study. Incontinence was measured using the “Incontinence Impact Inventory (IEI)” and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF). Maximal Inspiratory Pressure (MIP) and Maximal Expiratory Pressure (MEP), both in cmH2O and percentage of predicted values were used to evaluate respiratory muscle strenght. Datas were analyzed/compared with Spearman Correlation Test.

Results: A significant positive correlation was found between MIP and its percentage with MEP (r = 0.863, p 0.01), indicating that stronger inspiratory muscles are associated with stronger expiratory muscles.There was a negative but non-significant correlation between the incontinence scores and MIP values, suggesting that as respiratory muscle strength decreases, incontinence severity might increase, though these results were not statistically significant in this sample size (IEI: r = -0.423 with MIP, r = -0.425 with MIP percentage; ICIQ-SF: r = -0.531 with MIP, r = -0.410 with MIP percentage). 

Conclusion: The findings suggest a potential relationship between respiratory muscle strength and urinary incontinence in the geriatric population, although this small sample did not demonstrate strong statistical significance. Stronger respiratory muscles, particularly MIP, may play a role in reducing incontinence severity, potentially through their influence on core and pelvic floor stability. Future studies with larger sample sizes are recommended to further investigate this relationship.

Implications: This pilot study suggests a potential link between respiratory muscle strength and urinary incontinence in older adults. Strengthening respiratory muscles, particularly inspiratory muscles, could help improve pelvic floor function and manage incontinence. If confirmed by future research, these findings may lead to integrating respiratory muscle training into rehabilitation programs for urinary incontinence in the elderly, offering a more holistic approach to incontinence management.