The 54th Annual Meeting of the International Continence Society (ICS), held in Madrid from 23rd to 25th October 2024, was a landmark event for physiotherapy professionals worldwide. With a record-breaking 309 physiotherapists attending from 39 countries, the meeting showcased how far the field has come in advancing conservative management and pelvic health within global continence care. As we consider this progress, the focus now shifts to ICS 2025 in Abu Dhabi, with excitement building for what’s ahead.
From the beginning, the Madrid conference delivered a strong message: Physiotherapy is Essential, Evidence-Based, and Evolving Fast. The Physiotherapy Committee curated a diverse and dynamic program that blended research, clinical application, and global collaboration.
One of the standout sessions was the State-of-the-Art Lecture by Prof. Suzanne Hagen, which drew a full house despite its early morning slot. Hagen presented robust Level 1 evidence from 11 clinical trials showing that pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) significantly improves pelvic organ prolapse symptoms. Complementary lifestyle interventions, supported by smaller trials, enhance these outcomes. The presentation reinforced PFMT as a cornerstone of conservative prolapse management.
The Physiotherapy Forum, a physiotherapy-led flagship event within the ICS scientific meeting, offered a vibrant platform for collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange. Key discussions spanned topics such as persistent pelvic pain, pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) in female athletes, the application of standardised ICS terminology in pelvic floor assessments, and the growing importance of process evaluations in clinical trials. The Forum also spotlighted early-career researchers, whose insightful presentations emphasised the energy and promise driving the future of the pelvic health physiotherapy profession.
A wide array of podium and short oral presentations at ICS 2024 showcased the significant clinical impact of physiotherapy-led interventions. While it’s impossible to highlight all the outstanding research, the following studies were selected by members of the Physiotherapy Committee for their innovation and relevance. One standout was the study by Le Berre and colleagues, “Six-Month Effect of Group-Based Pelvic Floor Telerehabilitation in Older Women with Urinary Incontinence,” which reported a 73% median reduction in leakage sustained over six months after a 12-week online pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) program. The telerehabilitation model demonstrated strong adherence, high patient satisfaction, and long-lasting improvements in quality of life—underscoring the potential of digital health solutions in continence care.
Another major highlight—and winners of the Best in Category Prize for both Conservative Management and Geriatrics—came from two landmark Cochrane reviews led by Hay-Smith and colleagues. The first review, focusing on pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), synthesised a decade’s worth of data and confirmed that direct PFMT remains the most effective first-line treatment for urinary incontinence in midlife and older women. Notably, supervised group sessions were found to be just as effective as individual sessions when technique was properly taught, and e-health delivery methods outperformed written instructions.
The second review led by Dumoulin and colleagues, addressing treatment options specifically for older women, concluded that physical therapies—with or without educational or complementary interventions—offer promising results. While both reviews called for further research to refine dosing and personalise treatments by incontinence type, their findings provide strong evidence to support non-surgical, physiotherapy-led approaches as a gold standard in managing UI among older adults.
In addition to traditional sessions, hands-on workshops deepened clinical knowledge and broadened scope. “Ultrasound Imaging of the Structure and Function of Pelvic Floor Muscles” (Hodges et al.) offered valuable practical training, while the adolescent-focused workshop, “The Adolescent Pelvis – Pain and Bowel Control” (Couchman et al.), addressed a critically underserved population. Another favourite, “Revisiting What Works and Why in Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise Prescribing” (Dean et al.), skilfully blended biopsychosocial frameworks with Evidence-Based rehabilitation strategies.
The ICS 2024 meeting marked a major milestone: physiotherapists now represent the third-largest professional group within the ICS. This growth not only reflects rising interest but also the central role of physiotherapy in advancing integrated continence care.
The countdown to ICS 2025 in Abu Dhabi is officially underway. Building on the remarkable success of ICS 2024 in Madrid, we are set for another exciting and impactful scientific meeting. With innovation in pelvic health physiotherapy and global collaboration at an all-time high, ICS 2025 promises to offer valuable opportunities to exchange knowledge, strengthen professional connections, and shape the future of conservative care.
We look forward to seeing you in Abu Dhabi for what’s sure to be another unforgettable event!
Visit https://www.ics.org/2025 for updates and registration details for ICS 2025.
Paula Igualada-Martinez
ICS Physiotherapy Chair - On behalf of the ICS Physiotherapy Committee