{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,29]],"date-time":"2026-06-29T04:46:03Z","timestamp":1782708363082,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,29]],"date-time":"2026-06-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782691200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is the preferred initial therapy for female stress urinary incontinence (SUI); however, achieving proper muscle activation and sustaining adherence over time are often difficult. Electromyographic biofeedback (EMG-BF) may facilitate motor learning during PFMT; however, its added benefit over PFMT alone remains uncertain.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n We investigated the clinical effects of EMG-BF-supported PFMT vs. standard PFMT in women with SUI.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n \n This systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA 2020 and a prospectively registered protocol (PROSPERO: CRD420261281430). PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus were searched from inception to 9 January 2026. RCTs enrolling adult women with SUI and directly comparing EMG-BF-assisted PFMT vs. PFMT alone were included. Outcomes were pooled as standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Risk of bias was assessed using Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2). Heterogeneity was quantified using\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n , and small-study effects were explored via funnel plots and Egger's test when appropriate.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n Eight RCTs (\n n<\/jats:italic>\n = 1,045; EMGBF + PFMT: 518; PFMT: 527) were included. Compared with PFMT alone, EMG-BF-assisted PFMT yielded a small reduction of incontinence severity (\n SMD<\/jats:italic>\n = \u22120.17, 95%\n CI<\/jats:italic>\n \u22120.30 to \u22120.05;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n = 0%) and mild benefit of QoL (\n SMD<\/jats:italic>\n = \u22120.21, 95%\n CI<\/jats:italic>\n \u22120.34 to \u22120.08;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n = 35%). PFMS was improved moderately (\n SMD<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.56, 95%\n CI<\/jats:italic>\n : 0.09\u20131.03;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n = 51%). The leave-one-out sensitivity analysis on UISS did not change the results. Egger's test suggested potential small-study effects for incontinence severity (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.0118).\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n The addition of EMG-BF to PFMT provides small but statistically significant improvements in symptoms and quality of life (QoL) compared with PFMT alone, with a greater benefit observed for pelvic floor muscle strength. This supports the use of select, rather than regular, use of EMG-BF-particularly in those who have difficulty recognizing the correct contraction of the PF, and\/or need extra structure at the beginning.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1789923","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,29]],"date-time":"2026-06-29T04:26:41Z","timestamp":1782707201000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Electromyographic biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle training for female stress urinary incontinence: a systematic review and meta-analysis"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Jie","family":"Liu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Ganzhou Cancer Hospital, Gannan Medical University","place":["Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yu","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University","place":["Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shen","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ganzhou Cancer Hospital, Gannan Medical University","place":["Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jingwen","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ganzhou Hospital-Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University","place":["Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"167","DOI":"10.1002\/nau.10052","article-title":"The standardisation of terminology of lower urinary tract function: report from the standardisation sub-committee of the international continence 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