Stress incontinence affects about 10% of women over 30 years of age and 30% of these women are found to be unable to contract their pelvic floor muscles properly. Weighted vaginal balls were developed in 1992 for the purpose of pelvic muscle floor training. The aim of this study was therefore to compare conventional pelvic floor training and training with weighted vaginal balls in women with urinary incontinence. Twenty-four women (age 30 to 65 years) from two centres were randomised either to conventional pelvic floor muscle training or to training with vaginal balls. Patients carried out both training programmes at home during a period of four months after receiving instructions from a physiotherapist. Treatment outcomes were measured in terms of the amount of urinary leakage and muscle strength using validated and reliable methods. Data on subjective self-reported experience of outcomes were also collected. Seventy per cent of the 24 women completed the training. Both training methods decreased urinary leakage (p < 0.02), while muscle strength increased only after conventional training (p < 0.03). However, no statistical differences were found between the two methods of training. All but one of the patients in each group experienced subjective improvement after training while full recovery was reported only after training with vaginal balls. Both conventional training and training with vaginal balls produced beneficial effects on women with urinary incontinence. Further studies with larger samples are recommended, however.

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