OBJECTIVE To compare effects and cost-effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) and watchful waiting in women with pelvic organ prolapse. DESIGN Randomised controlled trial. SETTING Dutch general practice. POPULATION Women (≥55 years) with symptomatic mild prolapse, identified by screening. METHODS Linear multilevel analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcome was change...

Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is the term connected with different clinical conditions such as urinary incontinence, anal-fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain syndrome and sexual dysfunction. In women the main risk factors for PFD are pregnancy and delivery, obesity, menopause and chronic pulmonary diseases. Main risk factors for PFD associated with delivery are large fetus, ...

The present study investigated the morphology and structure of pelvic floor in 50 nulliparous and 50 pelvic organ prolapse (POP) women using translabial three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound. The levator hiatus in POP women was significantly different from that in nullipara women. In POP women, the size of pelvic floor increased, with a circular shape, and the axis of levator hiatus departed from t...

OBJECTIVE To compare the effects of pelvic floor muscle training and watchful waiting on pelvic floor symptoms in a primary care population of women aged 55 years and over with symptomatic mild pelvic organ prolapse. DESIGN Randomised controlled trial. SETTING Dutch primary care. PARTICIPANTS Women aged 55 years or over with symptomatic mild prolapse (leading edge above the hymen) were id...

The pelvic floor consists of muscles and connective tissue. In the past, the components’ relative contribution to the structural support of the pelvic floor and its functions has been a subject of controversy (Corton 2009). With increasing age women can develop vaginal and pelvic organ prolapse as well as symptoms such as stress urinary incontinence, voiding dysfunction, urgency and frequency a...

Question: Does group exercise prevent lumbopelvic pain during and after pregnancy? Design: Randomised controlled trial. Setting: A University hospital clinic and three outpatient physiotherapy clinics in Norway. Participants: Three hundred and one healthy, nulliparous women at 20 weeks of pregnancy. Pregnancy complications and high risk for preterm labour were exclusion criteria. Interventions:...

BACKGROUND Obesity is a risk factor for female pelvic floor disorders. The study objective was to determine whether there was a difference in the subjective reporting of pelvic symptoms before and after bariatric surgery. METHODS This was a prospective cohort study of female patients that underwent bariatric surgery. Patients completed a demographic questionnaire, the Pelvic Floor Distress In...

AIMS The aim of the study was to investigate the reliability of a scoring system for the investigation of voluntary and reflex co-contractions of abdominal and pelvic floor muscles in lying, sitting, and standing positions in continent and incontinent women. METHODS A visual inspection and digital (strength, tone, speed, and endurance) palpation scale was developed to measure the coordination...

PURPOSE Pelvic floor rehabilitation is an appealing treatment for patients with fecal incontinence but reported results vary. This study was designed to assess the outcome of pelvic floor rehabilitation in a large series of consecutive patients with fecal incontinence caused by different etiologies. METHODS A total of 281 patients (252 females) were included. Data about medical history, anal ...