Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Combined With Sexual Therapy in Vaginismus Treatment

NCT ID: NCT06760767

Last Updated: 2025-01-08

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 44 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-01-15
• Study Completion Date: 2024-08-02

Brief Summary

Studies on pelvic floor physiotherapy in individuals diagnosed with vaginismus are quite limited in the literature. While current studies have focused on certain physiotherapy modalities, the literature is quite limited in terms of combined rehabilitation programs. There is a need for non-invasive therapy methods that can be an alternative for the patient and client population whose vaginismus problem continues after behavioral therapies. No studies on pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy have been found in the literature. In this context, our study aimed to examine the effectiveness of pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy in individuals diagnosed with vaginismus.

Detailed Description

Vaginismus is a sexual dysfunction defined as recurrent or persistent difficulty or impossibility of sexual intercourse due to involuntary contractions of the muscles in the vaginal area in women. This condition is usually associated with excessive tension and spasm of the pelvic floor muscles and adductor muscles when evaluated in terms of these muscle groups.

Sexuual therapy includes the placement of dilators of graduated sizes by the therapist at home or in a clinical setting, guided by both the patient and the partner, for systematic desensitization to vaginal penetration, and sexual education to alleviate the psychological impact of the condition. This method is most frequently used in studies and the reported success rates are quite high.

Various techniques such as breathing and relaxation exercises, local tissue desensitization, vaginal dilators, biofeedback and manual therapy are used within the scope of pelvic floor physiotherapy in the treatment of vaginismus. There are studies in the literature investigating the effectiveness of biofeedback exercises in the treatment of vaginismus with a 100% success rate. It has also been reported that the combined application of pelvic floor exercises with behavioral sexual therapy provides significant improvement. In this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy in individuals diagnosed with vaginismus.

Conditions

Women Health; Physiotherapy; Exercise

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Intervention Group

Participants in the intervention group received pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy twice a week for 6 weeks.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

sexual therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

In sexual therapy sessions, sexual education, cognitive restructuring, body awareness exercises, systematic desensitization, relaxation training, individual and partner home exercise training and dilator treatment were applied with the supervision of a physiotherapist. All techniques and stages were not applied in the same session and were used with a certain progression

Pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy was applied in the experimental group. Sexual therapy techniques were added appropriately before, during and after the pelvic floor physiotherapy session. In the pelvic floor physiotherapy sessions, pelvic floor muscle training, biofeedback, electrotherapy, manual therapy applications, breathing exercises, stretching and relaxation exercises were applied with the physiotherapist. Pelvic floor physiotherapy techniques and stages were applied in the same session and followed a certain progression.

Control Group

Participants in the control group received sexual therapy twice a week for 6 weeks.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

sexual therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

In sexual therapy sessions, sexual education, cognitive restructuring, body awareness exercises, systematic desensitization, relaxation training, individual and partner home exercise training and dilator treatment were applied with the supervision of a physiotherapist. All techniques and stages were not applied in the same session and were used with a certain progression

Interventions

sexual therapy

In sexual therapy sessions, sexual education, cognitive restructuring, body awareness exercises, systematic desensitization, relaxation training, individual and partner home exercise training and dilator treatment were applied with the supervision of a physiotherapist. All techniques and stages were not applied in the same session and were used with a certain progression

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy

Pelvic floor physiotherapy combined with sexual therapy was applied in the experimental group. Sexual therapy techniques were added appropriately before, during and after the pelvic floor physiotherapy session. In the pelvic floor physiotherapy sessions, pelvic floor muscle training, biofeedback, electrotherapy, manual therapy applications, breathing exercises, stretching and relaxation exercises were applied with the physiotherapist. Pelvic floor physiotherapy techniques and stages were applied in the same session and followed a certain progression.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Diagnosed with vaginismus,
• Being between the ages of 20-45,
• Having an active sexual partner in the last 6 months,
• Not being in the accompanying physiotherapy or psychotherapy process.

Exclusion Criteria

• Diagnosed with or treated for vulvodynia and/or vulvar vestibulitis,
• Having a pacemaker,
• Not being able to give personal consent,
• Having a physical problem that would prevent treatment.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 20 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 45 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Medipol University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Gülay Aras

Principal investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Gülay Aras Bayram, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Medipol University

Locations

Istanbul Medipol University

Istanbul, , Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Other Identifiers

E-10840098-202.3.02-222

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id