Updates in the Evaluation of Older Women with Pelvic Floor Disorders

Abstract

Pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) are common among older women, and pose a unique challenge to the healthcare provider. The onset of PFDs in older women is gradual resulting from an inter-related process of anatomic, hormonal, and functional changes that occur over time and often impacted by concomitant medical co-morbid conditions. In this evidenced-based review, we provide an update on the epidemiology and provide an evidence-based approach to the evaluation of women with PFDs with a specific focus on the impact of aging. Physical function impairment is prevalent among older women with pelvic floor symptoms. The decline in physical function is likely the consequence of global changes in skeletal muscle health with aging, but may uniquely impact the pelvic floor muscle physiology and function. Providers caring for older women with PFDs must account for the impact of the aging process on symptom presentation and evaluation.