QUESTIONS: Are there any differences in the displacement and endurance of an elevating voluntary pelvic floor muscle contraction in standing and in crook-lying? Are there any differences in these variables between males and females in either test position? DESIGN: An experimental study. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-five nulliparous female and 20 male participants aged 23 years (SD 3) with no symptoms of urinary incontinence or low back pain. INTERVENTION: Voluntary pelvic floor muscle contraction was measured in both standing and crook-lying. OUTCOME MEASURES: Transabdominal ultrasound was used to measure the displacement (mm) and endurance (s) of pelvic floor elevation. RESULTS: Displacement was greater in standing than in crook-lying (mean difference 2.6 mm, 95% CI 1.5 to 3.7). There was no difference between males and females (mean difference 1.3 mm, 95% CI 0.5 to 3.2). Similarly, endurance of pelvic floor elevation was longer in standing than in crook-lying (mean difference 17.3 s, 95% CI 12.2 to 22.4). Again there was no difference between males and females (mean difference 0.5 s, 95% CI 9.3 to 8.3). CONCLUSION: Standing was found to be a more effective position for achieving and sustaining an elevation of the pelvic floor compared to crook-lying, regardless of sex, and this should be taken into account when assessing and training pelvic floor muscle contraction.
RCT Entities:
QUESTIONS: Are there any differences in the displacement and endurance of an elevating voluntary pelvic floor muscle contraction in standing and in crook-lying? Are there any differences in these variables between males and females in either test position? DESIGN: An experimental study. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-five nulliparous female and 20 male participants aged 23 years (SD 3) with no symptoms of urinary incontinence or low back pain. INTERVENTION: Voluntary pelvic floor muscle contraction was measured in both standing and crook-lying. OUTCOME MEASURES: Transabdominal ultrasound was used to measure the displacement (mm) and endurance (s) of pelvic floor elevation. RESULTS: Displacement was greater in standing than in crook-lying (mean difference 2.6 mm, 95% CI 1.5 to 3.7). There was no difference between males and females (mean difference 1.3 mm, 95% CI 0.5 to 3.2). Similarly, endurance of pelvic floor elevation was longer in standing than in crook-lying (mean difference 17.3 s, 95% CI 12.2 to 22.4). Again there was no difference between males and females (mean difference 0.5 s, 95% CI 9.3 to 8.3). CONCLUSION: Standing was found to be a more effective position for achieving and sustaining an elevation of the pelvic floor compared to crook-lying, regardless of sex, and this should be taken into account when assessing and training pelvic floor muscle contraction.
Authors: Samuel Fernández-Carnero; Carlos Martin-Saborido; Alexander Achalandabaso Ochoa-Ruiz de Mendoza; Alejandro Ferragut-Garcias; Juan Nicolás Cuenca-Zaldivar; Alejandro Leal-Quiñones; Cesar Calvo-Lobo; Tomas Gallego-Izquierdo Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2021-12-03 Impact factor: 4.241