Women’s Health researchers at The University of Melbourne, Physiotherapy School, are conducting a research project for women with pelvic organ prolapse.
If you have patients who are bothered by prolapse, please read on! The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to compare physiotherapy-supervised pelvic floor muscle exercises with lifestyle modification advice, in women who have symptomatic prolapse (stage I, II or III prolapse of any type). Women are assessed by a gynaecologist associated with the study, for eligibility and measurement of the prolapse. There is no cost to women to participate. Inclusion criteria include symptoms of prolapse, at least 6 months postnatal and ability to understand English. Symptoms may include: a feeling of something coming down from or in the vagina; an uncomfortable feeling or pain in the vagina which is worse when standing; a heaviness or dragging feeling in the lower abdomen or lower back; a need to strain to empty the bladder; a feeling that the bladder has not emptied completely; a feeling that the bowel has not emptied completely.
Exclusion criteria include previous surgery for prolapse, a pessary within the last 12 months, physiotherapy-supervised pelvic floor muscle training within the last 5 years, or co-existing urinary or faecal incontinence which the patient considers is of greater bother to her than the prolapse.
For further information, please contact The POPPY Trial Research Office (Dr Helena Frawley or Laura Whitburn, tel: 8344 4837; 0488 767 792; laurayw@unimelb.edu.au) for a pamphlet, or http://www.physioth.unimelb.edu.au/rsrc/research/programs/poppy/index.html for more details regarding the study.
