OBJECTIVE To estimate whether botulinum toxin type A is more effective than placebo at reducing pain and pelvic floor pressure in women with chronic pelvic pain and pelvic floor muscle spasm. METHODS This study was a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. All participants presented with chronic pelvic pain of more than 2 years duration and evidence of pelvic floor muscle spasm....

OBJECTIVE The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of pelvic floor muscle training in 46 nulliparous pregnant women. METHODS The women were divided into 2 groups: an exercise group and a control group. Functional evaluation of the pelvic floor muscle was performed by digital vaginal palpation using the strength scale described by Ortiz and by a perineometer (with and with...

Objective: To compare the benefits of 12 weeks abdominal and pelvic floor muscles (PFM) strength training for mild stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in obese women. Design: A randomized control trial with three months follow up. Setting: Bab El Sharia University Hospital. Subjects: Thirty female obese patients with mild SUI. Intervention: Abdominal exercises (Abd. ex's) group (n=15) received sp...

BACKGROUND Further progress in restoring a woman's health may be possible if a patient with a damaged pelvic floor could undergo medical imaging and biomechanical diagnostic tests. The results of such tests could contribute to the analysis of multiple treatment options and suggest the optimal one for that patient. AIM To develop a new approach for the biomechanical characterization of vaginal...

Introduction Electromyography (EMG) is a useful and objective tool to obtain information about the muscle activity(1). A muscle consists of muscle fibres. The ends of the efferent nerves are connected to the muscle fibres through motor units. Every single motor unit serves several muscle fibres. An electrical impulse, traveling through the nerves and motor units, cause a depolarisation (contrac...

Introduction. The sphincteric and supportive functions of the pelvic floor are fairly well understood, and pelvic floor rehabilitation, a specialized field within the scope and practice of physical therapy, has demonstrated effectiveness in the treatment of urinary and fecal incontinence. The role of the pelvic floor in the promotion of optimal sexual function has not been clearly elucidated. A...

Background: The use of the pelvic floor muscle training for urinary incontinence treatment is well established but little is known about its effects in labor and newborn outcomes. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of antenatal pelvic floor muscle training and strength in labor and newborn outcomes in low-income pregnant women. Methods: This is a randomized controlled trial that recruited fort...

AIMS Following surgical removal of the prostate, there may be compromise to the function of the pelvic floor muscles causing continence problems. Assessing the pelvic floor muscles of male patients can be an invasive process that causes discomfort, making it worthwhile to evaluate alternatives to the conventional method of Digital Rectal Examination (DRE). Real time ultrasound (RTUS) has been u...

Pelvic floor weakness is a functional condition that affects the anatomic structures supporting the pelvic organs: fasciae, ligaments, and muscles. It is a prevalent disorder among people older than 50 years, especially women, and may substantially diminish their quality of life. Many complex causes of pelvic floor weakness have been described, but the greatest risk factors are aging and female...