Introduction

In the late 1940s, Arnold Kegel first described pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) to prevent and treat pelvic floor dysfunctions such as urinary incontinence (UI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Several systematic reviews and Cochrane reviews conclude that there is level 1A evidence for prevention and treatment of PFMT for UI1 and POP.2 Despite the strong evidence for PFMT for these conditions, several other exercise regimens have been proposed and advocated to manage UI and POP. Specifically for stress UI, Pilates and Paula methods, Tai Chi and other methods based on breathing exercises and correction of body posture have very limited or questionable effects based on randomised controlled trials (RCTs).3

The abdominal hypopressive technique (AHT) may be classified as a breathing exercise. It was developed in the 1980s by a physical therapist named Dr Marcel Caufriez, and is widely known and used in countries including France, Italy, Spain, Canada and countries of South America. Those in charge of …