[Pelvic floor muscle training combined with electroacupuncture for bladder dysfunction after incomplete spinal cord injury: a randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To observe the efficacy of pelvic floor muscle training combined with electroacupuncture (EA) for bladder dysfunction after incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods: Ninety patients with bladder dysfunction after incomplete SCI were randomly divided into an EA group (30 cases), a pelvic floor muscle training group (30 cases, 1 case dropped out), and a combined group (30 cases, 1 case dropped out). All groups received routine rehabilitation. The EA group received EA at Zhongji (CV 3), Guanyuan (CV 4), Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), bilateral Shenshu (BL 23), Ciliao (BL 32), and Pangguangshu (BL 28), with continuous waves at frequency of 100 Hz, and the needles were retained for 30 min, once daily, 6 times a week for 6 weeks. The pelvic floor muscle training group underwent pelvic floor muscle training two times a day, for 6 weeks. The combined group received both EA and pelvic floor muscle training. The daily average number of urinations, daily average number of urinary leakages, urodynamic indexes (residual urine volume, maximum bladder capacity, bladder compliance, and maximum urine flow rate), and generic quality of life inventory-74 (GQOLI-74) were compared before and after treatment in each group.

Results: Compared before treatment, the daily average number of urinations and urinary leakages were decreased (<0.05), residual urine volume, maximum bladder capacity, and bladder compliance were reduced (<0.05), and maximum urine flow rate and GQOLI-74 scores were increased (<0.05) after treatment in all groups. After treatment, the combined group showed greater differences in the daily average number of urinations, daily average number of urinary leakages, residual urine volume, maximum bladder capacity, bladder compliance, maximum urine flow rate, and GQOLI-74 score compared to the EA group and the pelvic floor muscle training group (<0.05). There was no statistically significant differences in the changes in these indexes between the EA group and the pelvic floor muscle training group (>0.05).

Conclusion: Pelvic floor muscle training combined with EA can effectively alleviate urination problems in patients with bladder dysfunction after incomplete SCI, improve bladder function, and enhance patients' quality of life.