Abstract
Objectives. Evaluation of resting and functional bioelectrical activity of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) and the synergistic muscles, depending on the orientation of the pelvis, in anterior (P1) and posterior (P2) pelvic tilt. Design. Preliminary, prospective observational study. Setting. Department and Clinic of Urology, University Hospital in Wroclaw, Poland. Participants. Thirty-two menopausal and postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence were recruited. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, sixteen women aged 55 to 70 years were enrolled in the study. Primary Outcome Measures. Evaluation of resting and functional bioelectrical activity of the pelvic floor muscles by electromyography (sEMG) and vaginal probe. Secondary Outcome Measures. Evaluation of activity of the synergistic muscles by sEMG and surface electrodes. Results. No significant differences between orientations P1 and P2 were found in functional and resting sEMG activity of the PFM. During resting and functional PFM activity, higher electrical activity in P2 than in P1 has been recorded in some of the synergistic muscles. Conclusions. This preliminary study does not provide initial evidence that pelvic tilt influences PFM activation. Although different activity of synergistic muscles occurs in various orientations of the pelvic tilt, it does not have to affect the sEMG activity of the PFM.
Highlights
Normal ageing of the reproductive system in women can be divided into periods as follows: reproductive, menopausal transition, and postmenopausal
Different activity of synergistic muscles occurs in various orientations of the pelvic tilt, it does not have to affect the surface electromyography (sEMG) activity of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM)
Studies of Minassian et al [9] show that the median of prevalence of all types of urinary incontinence (UI) in women clearly increases in the 35–44 age group and is reaching about 30%
Summary
Normal ageing of the reproductive system in women can be divided into periods as follows: reproductive (premenopausal), menopausal transition (perimenopausal), and postmenopausal. It is probably connected with hormonal disturbances leading to muscle and fascial flaccidity and their decreased tone [6, 7]. Prevalence of UI in women ranges from 5% to 62% [11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18] and the incidence of UI changes with age [9]. Studies of Minassian et al [9] show that the median of prevalence of all types of UI in women clearly increases in the 35–44 age group and is reaching about 30%. According to other studies [7,8,9,10,11], the estimated percentage of women suffering from UI is up to 73% during the peri- and postmenopausal periods
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