OBJECTIVES: To test the effect of a structured abdominal hypopressive technique (AHT) programme on pelvic floor muscle (PFM) tone and urinary incontinence (UI) in women. DESIGN: Crossover trial with random assignment of women to one of two groups: group 1 (AHT followed by rest) and group 2 (rest followed by AHT). SETTING: Two cultural centres in Madrid, Spain. PARTICIPANTS: Women aged 20 to 65 years. INTERVENTIONS: Two months of supervised AHT exercises compared with 2 months of rest. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Variation in PFM tone and score on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF). RESULTS: Forty-two women were randomised to two groups (both n = 21). No sequence or period effect was noted. The mean difference in PFM tone after the 2-month AHT programme was 59g/cm2 (95% confidence interval (CI) 37 to 82); the between-group difference was 83g/cm2 (95% CI 50 to 116; p < 0.001). After 2 months, the between-group difference in the ICIQ-SF score was 3.3 points (p < 0.001). The majority of participants reported improved body image and sense of well-being. CONCLUSIONS: A structured 2-month AHT programme for women showed short-term benefits in PFM tone and UI. In addition, study participants reported improved body image and sense of well-being, and programme satisfaction, as demonstrated by questionnaire at the end of the intervention period. Further research is needed to test the long-term effects and effectiveness of AHT compared with other PFM exercises. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT0221241.

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