Perifit for Urinary Incontinence
Hi, Bestie! Thanks for joining me today! Recently, a friend asked me about a device called the Perifit. I hadn’t heard of this particular device before, so I started to do some digging. You see, there are a lot of similar devices on the market. We’ve even talked about some of them before, including the Elvie. I expected the Perifit to be another device just like the others. And in some ways, it is (which isn’t a bad thing). However, I found some interesting research about the Perifit that I think allows it to stand out from the rest of the pack. Let’s talk a bit about what’s different about the Perifit, along with some of the reasons I would still recommend working with a professional, at least initially, in your pelvic floor treatment/rehabilitation.
What is the Perifit?
[For the sake of our discussion today, let’s assume I’m talking about the Perifit Care Original Kegel Exerciser when I use the term “Perifit.” The company has a few different options, but I want to focus on the most basic option in this chat]. The Perifit is an intravaginal device targeted toward females with weakened pelvic floor musculature (1). Perifit is a brand dedicated to postpartum ladies and they also have breast pumps and other tools that can be useful during the postpartum period.
In essence, the Perifit trainer is a form of biofeedback in which the device syncs with your personal smartphone and takes you through a series of games in order to encourage pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) and strengthening (1). Its main aim is reducing urinary incontinence (UI). While it is fairly expensive at $150.00, it is eligible for FSA/HSA reimbursement from your insurance, if you qualify. Also, the Perifit app is free with all games and updates included.
What makes the Perifit different?
The Perifit is not necessarily unique in its concept when compared with some of the other pelvic floor trainers on the market. However, this device seems to have some solid research behind it. In a recent article from last month (March 2024), researchers found that people using the device experienced a decrease in symptoms and that those improvements in symptoms started within six weeks of initiating Perifit use (2). Now, before we get too excited, let’s take a step back. I don’t find it surprising that a device designed to encourage people to complete PFMT (aka Kegels) helps with UI. This is because we already know that PFMT is the gold standard for treating UI (3). In other words, it’s no shock that PFMT reduces UI.
What I did find intriguing about the Perifit is that it has been shown to be able to differentiate between a correct pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contraction and a bear-down (4). Why does this even matter? Well, it matters because it is really difficult for people to know whether they are doing a proper PFM contraction. In fact, research shows that less than half of women perform a proper Kegel when instructed to do so, and a quarter actually perform a bear-down, which increases UI (5). The Perifit’s ability to sense the appropriate contraction is a pretty exciting step toward patients being able to manage their symptoms of UI on their own. This has the potential to impact a lot of folks, given the lack of access to pelvic health specialty providers most people face. Also, it may be particularly beneficial for folks who just don’t feel comfortable seeing a specialist for such a personal issue.
[Note: The Elvie trainer device has also been shown to detect correct versus incorrect PFM contractions (6, 7). The reason I still find the Perifit to be superior is that there is just more research supporting how well it works. In my opinion, either device has the potential to be beneficial for the right person! The aim of this chat is not to throw shade on the Elvie, but just to explain why I believe the Perifit edges it out].
If I have UI, can I skip the pelvic health specialist and just use the perifit?
This is a really important question. While the Perifit is a step in the right direction when it comes to being able to manage symptoms on one’s own, I don’t think it can replace a specialist for 100% of the treatment. Here’s why: while UI, especially stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is often caused by PFM weakness, in some cases, it is caused by too much tension in the pelvic floor. When a tight pelvic floor is contributing to UI, PFMT/Kegels are not the appropriate treatment and may even worsen symptoms of UI. The Perifit has no way of differentiating between folks with tight versus weak PFMs. In my professional opinion, I would still recommend talking with a pelvic health professional about your symptoms before initiating use of the Perifit or other similar device. Even one visit with a specialist should be enough to determine whether the Perifit is appropriate.
Who will not benefit from the Perifit?
The Perifit device, as mentioned, is aimed at treating UI, specifically SUI and occasionally mixed urinary incontinence (MUI). Folks with pain on vaginal insertion would probably not be candidates for the Perifit because treatment of any condition should aim to avoid exacerbation of pain. As mentioned above, folks with PFM overactivity will also not benefit from the Perifit and should instead work on PFM lengthening, breathing, and stretching.
If you’ve used the Perifit or another device for your UI, send me a message and let me know how you liked it! I would love to hear from you. If the Perifit is not for you, there are plenty of other ways to treat your symptoms of UI. Let’s chat soon.
XOXO,
Your Pelvic Bestie
References:
1. “How Does It Work?” Perifit (United States), perifit.co/pages/perifit-care-app. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
2. Perrier ET, Aumont L. Pelvic Floor Muscle Training Using the Perifit Device for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence: A Pragmatic Trial Using Real-World Data. Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). 2024 Mar 13;5(1):250-258. doi: 10.1089/whr.2023.0172. PMID: 38516650; PMCID: PMC10956527.
3. Dumoulin C, Cacciari LP, Hay-Smith EJC. Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018;10(10):CD005654; doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD005654.pub4
4. Louin E. Mesure de Pression de Capteurs de La Sonde Périnéale Connectée Perifit Lors d'une Contraction Des Muscles Du Plancher Pelvien et Lors d'une Manoeuvre de Valsalva. Ecole Nationale de Kinésithérapie et Réeducation; 2021.
5. Bump RC, Hurt WG, Fantl JA, et al.. Assessment of Kegel pelvic muscle exercise performance after brief verbal instruction. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1991;165(2):322–329; doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(91)90085-6
6. Czyrnyj CS, Bérubé MÈ, Brooks K, Varette K, McLean L. Reliability and validity of a mobile home pelvic floor muscle trainer: The Elvie Trainer. Neurourol Urodyn. 2020 Aug;39(6):1717-1731. doi: 10.1002/nau.24439. Epub 2020 Jun 18. PMID: 32557767.
7. Te Brummelstroete GH, Loohuis AM, Wessels NJ, Westers HC, van Summeren JJGT, Blanker MH. Scientific evidence for pelvic floor devices presented at conferences: An overview. Neurourol Urodyn. 2019 Sep;38(7):1958-1965. doi: 10.1002/nau.24099. Epub 2019 Jul 8. PMID: 31286567; PMCID: PMC6852158.
*The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives
