Reformer Pilates Exerises in Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction

Bladder and bowel dysfunction (BBD) describes the urinary tract symptoms associated with bowel complaints. Urotherapy and pharmacological treatments are used in conservative BBD treatment. Pilates is an exercise method that includes a series of movements that both strengthen and increase flexibility of the entire body without focusing on a specific muscle. Reformer pilates is a specific type that provides resistance exercise at certain weights with the pulley system relying basically on the same principles. Pilates exercises provide breathing and activation of the deep stabilizing muscles of the trunk in coordination with the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs). Despite the increasing number of health care professionals using the pilates-based approach in rehabilitation. The pilates-based exercises in rehabilitation is still insufficient in the literature7. To our knowledge, none of studies which were investigated the usefulness of pilates-based exercise principle in children with BBD. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of reformer pilates exercises on bladder and bowel dysfunction symptoms and quality of life in children with bladder and bowel dysfunction.