Effectiveness of Electrical Stimulation with & without Pelvic Floor Muscle Training on QoL and ED in Sedentary Men: A Pilot RCT

Sanket Mungikar, Anuj Unhale
Purpose:

To evaluate the effectiveness of ES, with and without PFMT, on ED and QoL in sedentary middle-aged men with erectile dysfunction

Methods:

A single-blinded, parallel two-arm pilot randomized controlled trial involved 30 participants diagnosed with ED. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group n=15), which received PFMT combined with ES, or the control group (n=15), which received ES only. ES was administered using surged faradic current at 50Hz/500µs for 15 minutes, three times a week for 4 weeks. The PFMT consisted of three maximum contractions in standing, sitting, and lying positions, focusing on retracting the penis and lifting the scrotum, while also engaging the muscles during walking at 50% capacity. Erectile function was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction-5 (IIEF-5), and quality of life was evaluated with the Erectile Dysfunction – Effect on Quality of Life (ED-EQOL) at baseline and post-treatment

Results:

In the within-group comparison, the intervention group's IIEF-5 score significantly increased from 13 (IQR 3) to 22 (IQR 4) (p 0.05), while the control group's score rose from 13 (IQR 2) to 16 (IQR 2) (p 0.05), with the intervention showing a greater improvement. For ED-EQOL, the intervention group's score decreased from 46 (IQR 9) to 24 (IQR 5) (p 0.05), compared to the control's change from 44 (IQR 5) to 37 (IQR 6) (p 0.05). In between-group comparisons, the intervention group's median IIEF-5 score of 22 (IQR 4) was significantly higher than the control's 16 (IQR 2) (p 0.05), and the intervention's median ED-EQOL score of 24 (IQR 5) was significantly lower than the control's 37 (IQR 6) (p 0.05), indicating better outcomes for the intervention group

Conclusion(s):

The combination of Electrical stimulation and Pelvic Muscle Training leads to Significant enhancement in erectile function and quality of life for individuals with Erectile Dysfunction.

Implications:

The Findings of this study Highlights the Integration of ES & PFMT as Therapeutic Approach for Managing ED,especially in light of its rising Prevalence linked to sedentary lifestyle.Clinicians might find it beneficial to implement this combined intervention  to enhance patient outcome and improve overall QoL

Funding acknowledgements:
Yes, funding was given in the form of a Research Concession on Physiotherapy Treatment.
Keywords:
electrical stimulation
Erectile Dysfunction
Plevic floor Muscle strengthening
Primary topic:
Pelvic, sexual and reproductive health
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
MGM's Medical College and Hospital, Chh.Sambhajinagar. Ethics Committee on Research Subject on Human Subject.
Provide the ethics approval number:
MGM/IOP/IEC/PG/2023/06
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
No

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