Efficacy of Pelvic Floor Exercises and Core Stability Exercises in Bharatanatyam Dancers with Non-Specific Acute Low Back Pain and Stress Urinary Incontinence – A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: There is abundant literature supporting the effect of core stability exercises in back pain, but lack of evidence to support pelvic floor exercises in back pain and how combined contraction of both the muscles be impactful in treatment of non-specific acute low back pain in Bharatanatyam dancers. Stress urinary incontinence is another emerging condition in Bharatanatyam dancers which can be treated with exercises which again lacks evidence to support it.
Objective: To determine the efficacy of an eight-week core stabilization program (CSE), pelvic floor exercises (PFE) in Bharatanatyam dancers with nonspecific acute low back pain and stress urinary incontinence.
Methods: A sample of 20 Bharatanatyam dancers in the age group 18-30 years participated in core (trunk musculature), pelvic floor and hamstring stretching exercise training program performed three days/week for eight weeks. Outcomes: IIQ, ODI and DFOS were measured pre, 6 weeks, and 8 weeks.
Results: Experimental group showed statistically significant improvement (p<0.05) in all outcomes at 6 and 8 weeks compared to control group.
Conclusion: Core stability exercises and pelvic floor exercises are effective in reducing back pain and stress urinary incontinence in Bharatanatyam dancers.