AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY IN THE TREATMENT OF PELVIC FLOOR DISORDERS
LARS JÄGER *
Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Hochschule Fresenius, Düsseldorf, Germany and Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Hochschule Fresenius, Cologne, Germany and ProPhysio, Cologne, Germany
BIRGIT SCHULTE-FREI
ProPhysio, Cologne, Germany and Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Hochschule Fresenius, Germany
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is the only conservative, high-level evidenced treatment option, encountering urinary incontinence. However, treatment adherence is low and effectivity is highly dependent on patients` adherence. Therefore, adjunct treatment options are needed, in order to increase adherence and thus, effectivity. Prevailing adjunct treatment options have shown unclear evidence, regarding their additional effect on treatment outcome. The implementation of virtual reality (VR) in pelvic floor disorders, as an adjunct treatment option has shown promising initial results. Therefore, the aim of the article at hand is to review this new field of science and discuss the potential of VR as an adjunct mean for the conservative treatment of pelvic floor disorders.
Keywords: Virtual reality, augmented reality, pelvic floor, urinary incontinence, pelvic floor muscle training, therapy, rehabilitation