Iball & Pelvic Floor Muscle Training

he postpartum period is vulnerable to dysfunction of the pelvic floor musculature, which is associated with incontinence, pain, reduced stability of the core and functional deficits. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada recommends instruction on the correct performance of pelvic floor muscle exercises, commonly known as Kegels, as standard care. However, only a small proportion of women seek medical care for incontinence in Canada. Recently, there has been an influx of mobile Health technology applications marketed for pelvic floor restoration and fitness that have not been studied. The existence of mHealth technologies may represent an innovative mode to support pelvic health, however systematic exploration to substantiate claims and proposed benefit is required. This pilot study aims to understand the utility of a new mobile health application, iball, as a rehabilitation tool to promote optimal pelvic floor function and to correct pregnancy related pelvic floor dysfunction. The iball is comprised of a device and a mobile app, and it has been brought to market in Europe as a consumer product. The study aims to assess the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of the iball as a pelvic floor muscle training intervention, in comparison to standard care.