A meta-analysis of nine randomized trials found exercise, especially yoga, improved physical and psychological quality of life in women with menopausal symptoms, but not general or menopause-specific scores.
Mixed resultsMeta-analysis · 2020Midlife womenCited 62 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of five trials found Kegel pelvic floor exercise, done for 4 to 12 weeks, improved urinary symptom related quality of life in postmenopausal women but not sexual symptom quality of life.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 268 participants pooled · 2024PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
A systematic review of 11 studies in peri and postmenopausal women found pelvic floor and mind-body exercise programs most linked to improved sexual function, while aerobic exercise showed inconsistent results and resistance training showed no benefit.
Mixed resultsSystematic review · 2020Midlife womenCited 42 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 21 trials found pelvic floor muscle exercises in postmenopausal women improved quality of life, sexual function, urinary incontinence, and pelvic floor function, with no effect on psychological status.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
A systematic review of nine studies using virtual reality exercise games in climacteric women found improvements in pelvic floor strength, balance, cardiorespiratory fitness and bone density versus conventional approaches.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 298 participants pooled · 2022PerimenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence did pelvic floor muscle exercises for eight sessions over a month, with biofeedback improving strength and quality of life more than exercise alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 4 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 71 timesPubMed
Women averaging age 53 with stress urinary incontinence did 12 weeks of pelvic floor muscle training, alone or combined with transversus abdominis training, improving quality of life in both groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 137 women · 12 weeks · 2019Midlife womenCited 30 timesPubMed
In 140 perimenopausal women with stage 1 stress urinary incontinence, 12 weeks of pelvic floor exercises improved quality of life, with greater benefit when combined with transverse abdominal muscle tensing.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 140 women · 12 weeks · 2017PerimenopausalCited 26 timesPubMed
Climacteric women aged 40 to 60 with dyspareunia had five sessions of pelvic floor muscle training, which reduced pain and improved quality of life and sexual function more than lower back therapy.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 42 women · 5 weeks · 2019Midlife womenCited 25 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence did pelvic floor muscle training or vaginal cone therapy for 6 weeks, both reducing urinary leakage and improving pelvic floor pressure and quality of life versus control.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 6 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 25 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence who did 6 weeks of pelvic floor muscle training, with or without vaginal cones, reported reduced urinary leakage and improved quality of life lasting 12 months.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 6 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
In a trial of women with stress urinary incontinence, supervised pelvic floor physical therapy twice weekly for 3 months improved pelvic floor muscle strength and quality of life, similar to laser therapy.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 32 women · 12 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with stress incontinence did Rumba dance plus breathing training for 16 weeks and reported less urine leakage, stronger pelvic floor muscles and better quality of life.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 women · 16 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 15 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence who did pelvic floor training plus electrical stimulation and biofeedback for 6 months improved more when intravaginal estriol was added.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 62 women · 26 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with urinary incontinence did pelvic floor training or Pilates for 12 weeks and both groups reported improved incontinence symptoms and quality of life, with no difference between groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 40 women · 12 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
In sedentary postmenopausal women with urinary incontinence, an eight week multimodal exercise program improved incontinence related quality of life and symptom severity more than pelvic floor training alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 8 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Peri and postmenopausal Nigerian women did a 12 week endurance exercise circuit, which improved quality of life and reduced back pain compared with no change in controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 175 women · 12 weeks · 2011Midlife womenCited 7 timesPubMed
In perimenopausal women with pelvic floor dysfunction, 3 months of combined Kegel and yoga exercise improved symptoms, quality of life and pelvic floor muscle strength more than Kegel exercise alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 74 women · 12 weeks · 2021PerimenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
In a 12-week RCT of 70 postmenopausal women with stress incontinence, both Kegel-only and Kegel plus abdominal exercises reduced incontinence severity and improved quality of life and sleep, with the combination performing better.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 70 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with pelvic floor dysfunction used a digital pelvic floor muscle training and education program and reported less symptom impact, better mental health and improved work productivity.
Reported an improvementCohort study · 3,051 women · 2025PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
In 68 women averaging 50.5 years with urinary incontinence, a 4 month home pelvic floor exercise program reduced incontinence severity and improved pelvic floor strength regardless of adherence level.
Reported an improvementCohort study · 68 women · 16 weeks · 2012Midlife womenCited 18 timesPubMed
46 middle-aged women with urinary incontinence did 8 weeks of either a body technique program or pelvic floor muscle training, and both groups reported increased pelvic floor strength and improved quality of life.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 46 women · 8 weeks · 2025Midlife womenPubMed
In an 8-week trial in postmenopausal women, pelvic floor training plus active photobiomodulation improved sexual function scores more than training plus sham photobiomodulation; pelvic pressure did not differ significantly.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 8 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
A 12 week pelvic floor muscle training program in postmenopausal women with genitourinary syndrome of menopause reduced symptoms and improved quality of life and sexual function.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 32 women · 12 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
Middle-aged women with stress urinary incontinence did 8 weeks of pelvic floor muscle exercises with or without added electrical stimulation, and the combined group showed greater improvement in symptoms and quality of life.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 54 women · 8 weeks · 2021Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
Middle-aged women with urinary incontinence did a 4-week pelvic floor exercise and bladder training program, and reported fewer leakage episodes and better quality of life than controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 60 women · 4 weeks · 2005Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
Middle-aged women with urinary incontinence did an 8-week combined pelvic muscle exercise and yoga program, reporting improved pelvic muscle strength and incontinence symptoms.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 55 women · 8 weeks · 2015Midlife womenCited 17 timesPubMed
A trial protocol will compare pelvic floor muscle training alone versus combined with photobiomodulation in women with genitourinary syndrome of menopause, over 16 sessions, with no results yet.
Direction not statedOther · 8 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
This protocol describes a planned trial comparing pelvic floor physiotherapy versus laser therapy for genitourinary symptoms in breast cancer survivors, with no results yet available.
Direction not statedOther · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed