Perineometer and digital examination for assessment of pelvic floor strength

Abstract

surgical history. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.Cases (n = 245) and controls (n = 287) were similar in smoking status, postmenopausal status, prior surgical history, and estrogen use. Variables associated with POPUI surgery in the multivariate analysis were parity (OR, 4.1 [95% CI, 1.7-9.4]; P= 0.001) and chronic lung disease (OR, 2.4 [95% CI, 1.4-4.2]; P= 0.002). The first vaginal birth conferred a risk of 2.6 (95% CI, 1.0-7.0). Each subsequent vaginal birth increased the risk of surgery. Women younger than 50 years had a higher risk associated with vaginal parity (OR, 8.0 [95% CI,.1]; P= 0.001) than women aged 50 years or older. In the latter, the risk was not statistically significant (OR 1.9 [95% CI, 0.6-6.3]; P=0.3) (Table 1).This age-matched, case-control study demonstrates that women who underwent surgery for POPUI were nearly 4 times more likely to have been delivered vaginally, and twice as likely to have chronic lung disease. Parity is a greater risk factor for women younger than 50 years than for older women. The present study encompasses the adult lifespan and links prior studies of disparate age groups. These findings are in agreement with previous reports that parturition injury is a stronger risk factor for women during midlife [2], and that age-associated changes in pelvic floor function become stronger as women age [3,4].

Urinary incontinence in elderly women from Porto Alegre: its prevalence and relation to pelvic floor muscle function

“…These factors, in turn, cause hypotrophy in the muscle fibers or their replacement by adipocytes, and can thus effectively collaborate for the onset of UI 16 . In our study, the two methods used to assess PFM function proved to be equivalent, in accordance with other authors' findings 6,11,17,18 . Therefore, it is possible that the use of the bidigital test (a simple, practical and inexpensive method to measure PFM function) combined with pelvic floor kinesiotherapy (also a simple, practical and easy method to be applied) will enable the implementation of UI-related care in the public health system, including its treatment and prevention, as suggested by Knorst et al 19 This possibility is even more relevant when we consider the prevalence of UI found in the present study in light of the impact that this dysfunction has on the QOL of individuals affected by it 2,20,21 , as stated in several reports found in the literature worldwide.…”

“…As seen in the literature, physical therapy is efficient in reducing urine loss and improving pelvic floor muscle function and QOL. It can be easily carried out in Primary Health Care Units at low costs 5,17,19,24 , either in groups or individually (in the latter case, after approximately 14 treatment sessions 24 ). Taking into consideration the effectiveness of the physical therapy treatment reported in the literature 19,24 , the high prevalence of UI found among the elderly women in this sample, the connection between UI, functional decline 30 and falls in the elderly 32 and the subsequent loss of independence that affects most of the fallers 33 , it is suggested that the elderly users of the public health system should be given access to this therapeutic modality.…”

The effect of outpatient physical therapy intervention on pelvic floor muscles in women with urinary incontinence

“…Palpation of the vaginal canal enables the assessment of the level of contraction of the perineal muscles using different scales 8,11,12 and teaches patients the correct PFM contraction 13 .…”

Comparison of pelvic floor muscle strength between women undergoing vaginal delivery, cesarean section, and nulliparae using a perineometer and digital palpation

“…PFM strength may be measured by vaginal digital palpation [6][7][8][9][10][11], vaginal cones [11], dynamometry [12], and manometry [6][7][8][9][10][11]13]. Vaginal digital palpation is a subjective method using different scales.…”

“…Manometry, usually referred to as perineometry when applied to assessment of PFM strength, seems to be a reliable method [13]. A correlation between values of PFM strength obtained by vaginal digital palpation and use of a perineometer has been demonstrated [6,9,10,14], although there is criticism of using digital palpation for scientific purposes [15].…”