OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of supervised and unsupervised pelvic floor muscle exercises utilizing trunk stabilization for treating postpartum urinary incontinence and to compare the outcomes. DESIGN: Randomized, single-blind controlled study. SETTING: Outpatient rehabilitation hospital. SUBJECTS: Eighteen subjects with postpartum urinary incontinence. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were randomized to either a supervised training group with verbal instruction from a physiotherapist, or an unsupervised training group after undergoing a supervised demonstration session. MAIN MEASURES: Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptom questionnaire (urinary symptoms and quality of life) and vaginal function test (maximal vaginal squeeze pressure and holding time) using a perineometer. RESULTS: The change values for urinary symptoms (-27.22 +/- 6.20 versus -18.22 +/- 5.49), quality of life (-5.33 +/- 2.96 versus -1.78 +/- 3.93), total score (-32.56 +/- 8.17 versus -20.00 +/- 6.67), maximal vaginal squeeze pressure (18.96 +/- 9.08 versus 2.67 +/- 3.64 mmHg), and holding time (11.32 +/- 3.17 versus 5.72 +/- 2.29 seconds) were more improved in the supervised group than in the unsupervised group (p < 0.05). In the supervised group, significant differences were found for all variables between pre- and post-test values (p < 0.01), whereas the unsupervised group showed significant differences for urinary symptom score, total score and holding time between the pre- and post-test results (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that exercising the pelvic floor muscles by utilizing trunk stabilization under physiotherapist supervision may be beneficial for the management of postpartum urinary incontinence.

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