Abstract
Descriptive, quasi experimental study with pre and post-test, which aimed to investigate the effects of Water Pilates (PA) on urinary incontinence, genital self-image and sexual function of elderly women. The sample consisted of seventeen elderly women aged 60 years or over, from a city in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQ-SF) was used as instruments to assess the impact of UI in quality of life and qualify urinary loss, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) to assess sexual function and Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS) to assess women's perception of their own genitalia. The PA protocol was performed twice a week for 50 minutes performed for eight weeks, totaling 16 sessions. The protocol was divided into warm-up, strengthening exercises and stretching. It was observed that the sample was composed of young elderly women (69.5 ± 5.9 years), overweight and with low FSFI and FGSIS scores. There was no significant change in the mean values before and after the intervention of the ICIQ-SF, FGSIS and FSFI scores. It was concluded that the PA method had no effect on urinary loss, sexual function and genital self-image.
Highlights
Female sexual function is influenced by the feeling of well-being with life and is related to greater body satisfaction and regular physical activity (Cabral et al, 2014)
After signing the free and informed consent form, the participants underwent an evaluation on urinary incontinence (UI) by the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQ-SF), which assesses the impact of UI on quality of life and qualifies urinary loss
It was concluded in this study that there were no statistically significant effects on urinary losses, genital self-image and sexual function of elderly women
Summary
A satisfactory sex life can provide physical benefits, including improved cardiovascular health and performance during exercise and reduced pain sensitivity. A satisfactory sex life provides psychological benefits, such as improvement in depressive symptoms, general well-being and quality of life, in addition to increased longevity (Santos, Santos, & Cendoroglo, 2015). Female sexual function can be represented by the dynamic combination of emotional, cognitive and physiological processes. Female sexual function is influenced by the feeling of well-being with life and is related to greater body satisfaction and regular physical activity (Cabral et al, 2014). The most used concept of sexual function is determined by the phases of desire, excitement, orgasm and resolution, in which each phase has its specific physiological and emotional characteristics, which can be compromised separately (Zielinski, Miller, Baixo, Sampselle, & DeLancey, 2012; Ferreira et al, 2013)
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