1. Bern University of Applied Sciences
  2. Business School
  3. Research
  4. Research areas
  5. Pelvic Floor Health
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Pelvic Floor Health

Our goal is to further improve and optimise physiotherapy relating to stress incontinence. We will focus on the neuromechanical aspects of the pelvic floor muscles.

The occurrence of stress incontinence of the pelvic floor muscles is underestimated and remains a taboo subject. This affects more than just older women. Even young women experience stress incontinence, often during sports, but especially after giving birth. We conduct research to improve physiotherapy in connection with stress incontinence and other pelvic floor disorders. We examine diagnostic techniques, interventions and therapy plans for patient information, perception and movement, as well as strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles in the event of isolated contractions and complex full-body movements. Specifically, we focus on the neuromechanical aspects of the pelvic floor muscles, such as the activation and contraction behaviour during voluntary and involuntary, reflexive contractions, which are essential for ensuring continence.

We use the infrastructure of the Bern Movement Lab, the Bern Mobility Centre and the Bern Pain & Stress Lab for our research.

Come join our team

For master's theses

Please contact Dr. Helena Luginbühl to learn about current opportunities for participation in the framework of a master’s thesis.

For PhD theses

We currently do not have any open doctoral positions.

Partnerships

  • Foot Biomechanics and Technology Group, Division of Physiotherapy, School of Health Professions, Bern University of Applied Sciences (Patric Eichelberger, PhD)
  • Department of Physiotherapy, University and University Hospital Bern, Switzerland (Martin Verra, PD, PhD)
  • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University and University Hospital Bern, Switzerland (Prof. Dr. Annette Kuhn, MD)
  • University of Bern, Institute of Psychology, Department of Health Psychology & Behavioral Medicine (Prof. Dr. Jennifer Inauen)
  • Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, Cologne, Germany (Birgit Schulte-Frei, PhD)
  • Universität Hildesheim, Germany (Peter Frei, PhD; Nico Kurpiers, PhD)
  • Bebo Österreich, Tarrenz, Austria (Julia Wachter)

Awards

Publications