Abdominopelvic kinesiotherapy for pelvic floor muscle training: a tested proposal in different groups

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis: This video's proposal was to present one of the pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training programs used in our research, and to study the effects of abdominopelvic kinesiotherapy on female PFM function.

Methods: A total of 82 women participated in this study, 11 nulliparous, 13 primiparous pregnant, 20 primiparous postpartum and 38 postmenopausal women, who were evaluated first by digital palpation, then by either electromyography or vaginal dynamometry to investigate their PFM strength, followed by ICIQ UI-SF and ICIQ-OAB to evaluate urinary symptoms. This intervention protocol lasted for 60 min, three times a week, with a total of 10 sessions, and was supervised by a physiotherapist, using a gym ball, according to Marques and collaborators.

Results: A significant increase in PFM strength was observed by digital palpation in all groups. This finding was confirmed by electromyography in both pregnant (p = 0.0001) and postpartum (p = 0.0001) groups, as well as in 20 of the 38 women from the postmenopausal group (p = 0.003) then by vaginal dynamometry (p = 0.02) in the rest of the women (18) from the same group, with a concomitant decrease in urinary symptoms (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The abdominopelvic kinesiotherapy program promotes an increase in pelvic floor muscle strength and a decrease in urinary symptoms.

Keywords: Digital palpation; Electromyography; ICIQ UI-SF; ICIQ-OAB; Muscle strength dynamometer; Pelvic floor.