Muscle In Women Research Articles

Differences in Abdominal and Lumbar Muscle Thickness and Contractile Function Between Nulliparous, Primiparous, and Multiparous Women 6 Months Postpartum.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences between primiparous and multiparous women at 6 months postpartum and nulliparous women regarding the thickness (including thickness pattern) and contractile function of the abdominal and lumbar muscles. A cross-sectional observational study of 80 women, both primiparous (n = 29) and multiparous (n = 25), as well as including nulliparous as a comparison group (n = 26), was conducted. B-mode ultrasound imaging was used for the measurement of abdominal and lumbar muscle thickness in 2 conditions (resting and activation). Moreover, the contractile function of these muscles was determined by the thickness ratio. Significant differences between groups were observed in abdominal muscle thickness. During activation, the obliques showed a lower thickness in both groups of postpartum women compared to nulliparous women, while lower values for the thickness for the transverse abdominis (TrA) were only observed in primiparous women. The thickness pattern observed in nulliparous women both in resting and in activation (internal oblique [IO] > external oblique [EO] > TrA) was also achieved among postpartum women, despite no statistical differences observed between IO and EO in these groups. No significant differences between groups were observed for contractile function, showing the TrA greater values, followed by IO and EO in both nulliparous and postpartum women. This study suggests that the thickness (and the thickness pattern) of the abdominal muscles in women at 6 months postpartum differs from nulliparous, while for the lumbar muscles, it is comparable to nulliparous. However, despite the obliques being thinner in postpartum women, the abdominal muscles are functionally competent. This is believed to be the first study to compare abdominal and lumbar muscles thickness and contractile function specifically between primiparous and multiparous women. Although at 6 months' postpartum abdominal thickness differs from nulliparous women, these muscles are functionally competent. These findings provide valuable insights for use in the development of postpartum interventions.

Urinary disorders in patients diagnosed with organic brain pathology

Introduction. This study is relevant due to the high prevalence of organic brain pathology and the negative influence of urination disorders on the quality of life.Objective. To analyse the impaired function of lower urinary tracts in patients with organic brain pathology.Materials & methods. We analysed 607 patients with severe organic brain pathology (105 had traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) and 457 had consequences of acute stroke (AS)). We performed clinical urological examinations. During the survey, attention was paid to the presence of urinary tract pathology at the examining time and anamnesis. Structural changes in the urinary tract were objectively assessed. We objectively assessed structural changes in urinary tracts including prostate adenoma in men, insufficiency of pelvic floor muscles in women and strictures of the urethra or ureters. The degree of the spastic syndrome was assessed with the Ashworth Scale. The neurourological examination included cystometry with the measurement of bladder volume and post-void residual urine. The cognitive status of the patients was assessed with the MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) questionnaire. The correlation analysis between the degree of spastic syndrome measured with the Ashworth Scale and urination disorders was performed with Spearman rank correlation.Results. All patients had neurogenic dysfunction of the lower urinary tract. A combination of bladder retention and emptying disorders was found in 62 men older than 45yo with benign prostate hyperplasia (10,2% of all cases). An impaired accumulation function in history was found in 45 women older than 45yo (7,4% of all observations). The level of spasticity was 3 or 4 points on the Ashworth Scale in patients with TSCI and 2 to 4 points in those with AS. The analysis of correlations between the degree of spasticity and urination disorders showed a moderate relationship (r = 0,4) in patients with TSCI and a medium relationship (r = 0.65) in patients with AS.Conclusion. Neurogenic dysfunction of the lower urinary tract accompanies patients with severe organic brain pathology throughout their life and requires adequate correction.

INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PRESSURE-PAIN THRESHOLD OF MASTICATORY MUSCLES AND NECK MUSCLES IN WOMEN WITH TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS

Purpose: The aim of our study is to determine the relationship between the pain pressure threshold (PPT) of masticatory and the neck muscles in women with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Methods: Twenty women diagnosed with myofascial TMD who were followed up at Istanbul University, Capa Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Total-Partial Prosthesis, between August 2019- November 2019, were included and data analysis of the cases was performed retrospectively. PPT values of the anterior temporal and masseter muscles as masticatory muscles, and the upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles as neck muscles were included in the study. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to provide statistical analysis of the data. Results: A statistically significant and positive correlation was found between the some PPT values of the masticatory and neck muscles (p

Perineoplasty for anal incontinence after obstetric anal sphincter injury repair: a case report

BackgroundThe rectal and vaginal walls are typically sutured if severe perineal lacerations with rectal mucosal damage occur during vaginal delivery. In case of anal incontinence after the repair, re-suturing of the anal sphincter muscle is standard procedure. However, this procedure may not result in sufficient improvement of function.Case presentationA 41-year-old woman underwent suture repair of the vaginal and rectal walls for fourth-degree perineal laceration at delivery. She was referred to our department after complaining of flatus and fecal incontinence. Her Wexner score was 15 points. Examination revealed decreased anal tonus and weak contractions on the ventral side. We diagnosed anal incontinence due to sphincter dysfunction after repair of a perineal laceration at delivery. We subsequently performed sphincter re-suturing with perineoplasty to restructure the perineal body by suturing the fascia located lateral to the perineal body and running in a ventral–dorsal direction, which filled the space between the anus and vagina and increased anal tonus. One month after surgery, the symptoms of anal incontinence disappeared (the Wexner score lowered to 0 points), and the anorectal manometry values increased compared to the preoperative values. According to recent reports on the anatomy of the female perineal region, bulbospongiosus muscle in women does not move toward the midline to attach to the perineal body, as has been previously believed. Instead, it attaches to the ipsilateral surface of the external anal sphincter. We consider the fascia lateral to the perineal body to be the fascia of the bulbospongiosus muscle.ConclusionsIn a case of postpartum anal incontinence due to sphincter dysfunction after repair of severe perineal laceration, perineoplasty with re-suturing an anal sphincter muscle resulted in improvement in anal sphincter function. Compared to conventional simple suture repair of the rectal wall only, this surgical technique may improve sphincter function to a greater degree.

The Effect of Corrective Exercises on Strength, Power, and Endurance of Gluteal Muscles in Women With Weakness and Inhibition of Gluteal Muscles

Background and Aims Most women experience weakness and inhibition of the gluteal muscles, which negatively affects athletic performance and is known to cause multiple injuries and chronic pain. This study aimed to determine the effect of corrective exercises on gluteal muscles strength, endurance, and power in women with gluteal muscles weakness and inhibition. Methods We purposively identified 28 non-athletic women aged 25 to 45 years who were referred to Babolsar Rehabilitation Clinic (Babolsar City, Iran) for physiotherapy due to reasons such as fracture, strain, sprain, and dislocation of the upper extremity joints. They experienced inhibition and weakness of the gluteal muscles. After completing the physiotherapy course and returning to normal life, they entered the present study and were randomly divided into the control (n=15) and exercise (n=13) groups. The exercise group performed a corrective exercises program including inhibitory, lengthening, activating, and strengthening exercises with theraband for 8 weeks (3 sessions per week and 30 to 45 minutes per session). The power of extensors, abductors, and external rotators of gluteal muscles was measured using the Diako cable machine and based on the formula of one-repetition maximum. The power and endurance of gluteal muscles were measured by the single-leg glute bridge test and the vertical jump test in two groups. The data were analyzed by covariance analyses. Results The results showed a significant improvement in the strength of the gluteal muscles in the movements of extension, abduction, and external rotation of the thigh, also in the endurance and power of the gluteal muscles in the exercise group compared to the control group in the posttest (P<0.05). Conclusion This study showed that corrective exercises, including inhibitory techniques, lengthening, activating, and strengthening exercises, have the necessary components to improve the strength, endurance, and power of gluteal muscles. Therefore, this exercise program is recommended for people with weakness and inhibition of the gluteal muscles.

Exploring transvaginal sonographic characteristics of the levator ani muscle in women with postpartum pelvic floor myofascial pain.

Pelvic floor myofascial pain is one of the pelvic floor dysfunction diseases disturbing women after delivery. There is a lack of objective standardization for the diagnosis of pelvic floor myofascial pain due to the various symptoms and the dependence on the palpating evaluation. Ultrasound imaging has the advantages of safety, simplicity, economy and high resolution, which makes it an ideal tool for the assistant diagnosis of pelvic floor myofascial pain and evaluation after treatment. This is a retrospective case-control study including women accepting evaluation of pelvic floor function at 6 weeks to 1 year postpartum. They were divided into pelvic floor myofascial pain group and normal control group. A BCL 10-5 biplane transducer was applied to observed their puborectalis. The length, minimum width, area, deficiency, deficiency length, deficiency width, deficiency area, rate of deficiency area, local thickening,angle between the tendinous arch of levator ani muscle and puborectalis of corresponding puborectalis in different groups were observed and measured. A total of 220 postpartum women participated in the study, with 77 in the pelvic floor myofascial pain group and 143 in the normal control group. The Intraclass correlation coefficient value was over 0.750, and Kappa ranged from 0.600 to 0.800. puborectalis deficiency (adjusted odds ratio = 11.625, 95% confidence interval = 4.557-29.658) and focal thickening (adjusted odds ratio = 16.891, 95% confidence interval = 1.819-156.805) were significantly associated with higher odds of having postpartum pelvic floor myofascial pain. Grayscale or the angle between the arch tendineus levator ani and puborectalis measurements on the pain side tended to be smaller than on the non-pain side in patients with unilateral puborectalis or iliococcygeus pain (P < 0.05). This study demonstrated that transvaginal ultrasound was a potentially efficient technique for evaluating postpartum pelvic floor myofascial pain due to its ability to assess various sonographic characteristics of the levator ani muscles.

Ultrasound Morphometry of the Pelvic Floor Muscles in Women of Reproductive Age

Biometric studies in nulliparous women conducted to date are limited by small sample sizes. The pelvic floor muscles perform an important function throughout a woman’s life. They provide fixation and maintenance of the pelvic organs, stretches during childbirth, ensuring the formation of the birth canal, and are a potential site for the formation of a hernia in the female body. Impaired function of this muscle group can lead to either excessive muscle contraction (chronic pelvic pain syndrome) or excessive stretching (pelvic organ prolapse). The purpose of the study is to assess the morphometric properties of the pelvic floor muscles in nulliparous women using 3D ultrasound scanning (sonography). Material and methods. The observation group consisted of 60 women of middle reproductive age who applied for an appointment with an obstetriciangynecologist with complaints of pain of various types localized in the perineum and pelvis, decreased desire and quality of sexual life, clinically confirmed by a diagnosis of incompetence of the pelvic floor muscles. The control group consisted of 30 women without dysfunction of the pelvic floor muscles according to clinical examination. The main criterion for inclusion of patients in the study was reproductive age - 18–45 years and natural childbirth in obstetric and gynecological history. Results. We found that the absence of visible sonographic markers of changes in the myofascial structures of the pelvis is not a prognostically significant criterion for muscle dysfunction, since predominantly changes in morphometric parameters are a reliable sign of the formation of pelvic floor muscle failure. Conclusion. The ultrasound morphometry method, which allows one to assess dynamic changes in the size of muscle and fascial structures, can be used in the clinical practice of an obstetrician-gynecologist. Early diagnosis of a violation of the structure of pelvis myofascial complex will allow early implementation of measures aimed at prevention and timely treatment.

Relationship between quadriceps femoris echotexture biomarkers and muscle strength and physical function in older adults with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

BackgroundMuscle wasting is pronounced in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The quadriceps femoris echotexture biomarkers assessed by ultrasound (US) have not been studied in these patients. ObjectiveTo describe echotexture biomarkers assessed by the US and to assess their relationship with sex, age, body mass index (BMI), self-reported outcomes, muscle strength and physical function in older adults with HFpEF. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted. Patients 70 years and older with HFpEF were included. The sex, age, BMI, and self-reported outcomes were collected. The US assessed muscle and subcutaneous fat tissue contrast, correlation, energy, homogeneity, and entropy at rest and maximal voluntary isometrical contraction (MVIC). The six-minute walk test (6MWT), the short physical performance battery (SPPB), the timed up and go test (TUG), the usual pace gait speed test (UGS), and the fast pace gait speed test (FGS) were used to assess physical function. The five-repetitions sit-to-stand test (5-STS) was performed to assess muscle strength. Bivariant Pearson correlations and subsequent multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted. ResultsSeventy-two older adults with HFpEF [81.06 years, 29.13 BMI, and 55.60% females] were recruited. In women, relaxed and MVIC muscle energy and entropy explained 35.40% of the TUG variance; relaxed muscle entropy and MVIC muscle energy shared 24.00% of the UGS variance; relaxed and MVIC muscle entropy, MVIC muscle contrast and MVIC muscle energy explained 32.60% of the FGS variance, adjusted all the models by age and BMI. ConclusionsEchotexture biomarkers are related to women's muscle strength and physical function, especially muscle energy, contrast, and entropy. Echotexture biomarkers assessed by the US could facilitate the management of older adults with HFpEF, monitor its progression and assess the effectiveness of treatments on the musculoskeletal structure. Trial registrationNCT03909919. April 10, 2019. Retrospectively registered.

Asymmetry of muscles in women engaged in pole acrobatics: study results using myography

Asymmetry of muscles in women engaged in pole acrobatics: study results using myography

Strengthening the pelvic floor in Female Sexual Dysfunctions: review

Background: Pelvic floor muscle strength and sexual function in women are important variables in Pelvic Physiotherapy. Aims: To identify the main contributions of Physiotherapy to strengthening the pelvic floor muscles in women. Method: Bibliographical review of books, scientific articles, theses and dissertations published between 2007 and 2023. Results: The pelvic floor is a muscular and ligamentous structure that supports the organs in the lower abdomen. Its weakness can cause a variety of problems, including UI, prolapse, pain, and sexual dysfunction. Pelvic Physiotherapy works to rehabilitate these problems. Its exercises aim to strengthen and relax the muscles, normalizing tone and desensitizing the genital region. In the long term, they restore function, helping women to have a more satisfactory sex life. Conclusion: Muscle strengthening, proprioception and body awareness exercises can help improve the quality of sexual life, making it more satisfying.

Faktor risiko FAKTOR RISIKO ERGONOMI TERJADINYA KELUHAN MUSCULOSKELETAL PADA PEKERJA DI INDUSRTI

Studies from the Ministry of Health in the profile of health problems in Indonesia show that about 40.59% of illnesses suffered by workers are work-related. Health problems experienced by workers based on research conducted on 9,482 workers in 12 districts/ cities in Indonesia showed the highest number, namely musculoskeletal disorders (16%) followed by cardiovascular disorders (8%), nervous disorders (596). respiratory disorders (3%), and ENT disorders (1.5%) (Sekaaram &amp; Ani, 2017).&#x0D; This research method uses a Literature Review or literature review with a Systematic Literature Review approach by searching for articles through search engines such as Google Scholar. The keywords used in the search for articles in research on ergonomic risk, age, gender, MSDs, NBM.in selecting articles using inclusion criteria and journal analysis.&#x0D; The results of the literature review on age obtained 5 journals where 4 of these journals had a relationship and I of these journals had no relationship between age and musculoskeletal complaints in industrial workers. Meanwhile, the results of the literature review on gender obtained 5 journals where 2 of these journals had a relationship and 3 of them had no relationship between gender and musculoskeletal complaints in industrial workers.&#x0D; The conclusion states that there is a relationship between age and musculoskeletal complaints, while there is no relationship between gender and musculoskeletal complaints. Suggested it is preferable for women workers aged 30 years to differentiate between working period and working time because women's muscle strength is different from men's muscle strength as well as work methods and work rotation regularly so that skeletal muscle complaints can be minimized.

НЕКОТОРЫЕ АСПЕКТЫ ДИАГНОСТИКИ И ПРОФИЛАКТИКИ НЕДОСТАТОЧНОСТИ ТАЗОВОГО ДНА У ЖЕНЩИН РЕПРОДУКТИВНОГО ВОЗРАСТА

The aim of the study: to assess the significance of the study of the state of the pelvic floor in women of reproductive age who have risk factors for the development of pelvic organ plolapse; to evaluate the effectiveness of an electric exercise machine in combination with Kegel exercises in the preven-tion of pelvic organ prolapse. Matherial and methods: 363 women with a history of vaginal childbirth were examined, which, depending on parity and body mass index, were divided into 4 groups. Ultra-sound measurement of the height of the tendon center of the perineum, the width of the muscle bun-dles of the levator legs (m. bulbospongiosus, m. bulbocavernosus), the angle of urethral incline (alpha angle), vesico-urethral angle (betta angle), the length of the urethra was performed. The results of the study: obtained indicate the expediency of performing ultrasound scans with study of the muscles that form the pelvic floor in women who gave birth with perineal trauma, for early detection of pelvic floor insolvency. The effectiveness of using electric exercise machines in combination with a set of physical exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles in women with preclinical manifestations of pelvic floor muscle failure has been proven.

НЕКОТОРЫЕ АСПЕКТЫ ДИАГНОСТИКИ И ПРОФИЛАКТИКИ НЕДОСТАТОЧНОСТИ ТАЗОВОГО ДНА У ЖЕНЩИН РЕПРОДУКТИВНОГО ВОЗРАСТА

The aim of the study: to assess the significance of the study of the state of the pelvic floor in women of reproductive age who have risk factors for the development of pelvic organ plolapse; to evaluate the effectiveness of an electric exercise machine in combination with Kegel exercises in the preven-tion of pelvic organ prolapse. Matherial and methods: 363 women with a history of vaginal childbirth were examined, which, depending on parity and body mass index, were divided into 4 groups. Ultra-sound measurement of the height of the tendon center of the perineum, the width of the muscle bun-dles of the levator legs (m. bulbospongiosus, m. bulbocavernosus), the angle of urethral incline (alpha angle), vesico-urethral angle (betta angle), the length of the urethra was performed. The results of the study: obtained indicate the expediency of performing ultrasound scans with study of the muscles that form the pelvic floor in women who gave birth with perineal trauma, for early detection of pelvic floor insolvency. The effectiveness of using electric exercise machines in combination with a set of physical exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles in women with preclinical manifestations of pelvic floor muscle failure has been proven.

Corticospinal excitability after 5-day Dry Immersion in women.

In light of the development of manned astronautics and the increasing participation of women in space flights, the question of female body adaptation to microgravity conditions becomes relevant. Currently, one of the important directions in this issue is to study the effects of support withdrawal as a factor of weightlessness on the human sensorimotor system. Dry Immersion is one of the well-known ground-based models, which adequately reproduces the main physiological effects of space flight. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in motor evoked potentials of the lower leg gravity-dependent muscles in women after a 5-day Dry Immersion. We analyzed evoked responses to transcranial and trans-spinal magnetic stimulation. In this method, areas of interest (the motor cortex and lumbosacral thickening of the spinal cord) are stimulated with an electromagnetic stimulus. The experiment was conducted with the participation of 16 healthy female volunteers with a natural menstrual cycle. The thresholds, amplitudes, and latencies of motor potentials evoked by magnetic stimulation were assessed. We showed that 5-day exposure to support withdrawal leads to a decrease in motor-evoked potential thresholds and central motor conduction time, although changes in motor response amplitudes were ambiguous. The data obtained correspond to the results of previous research on Dry Immersion effects on the sensorimotor system in men.

Research progress in pelvic floor ultrasound for assessing the morphology and function of levator ani muscle in women.

Pelvic floor ultrasound can clearly visualize the position and morphology of pelvic floor organs, observe the pelvic organ prolapse in real-time, and quantify and analyze the degree of the levator ani muscle injury, which is the most common imaging method to assess the morphology and function of the levator ani muscle to date. The different ultrasound imaging techniques provide a variety of indicators, each with its own advantages and limitations.Furthermore, two-dimensional ultrasound is the basis of imaging, but it fails to detect cross-sectional images of the pelvic floor; three-dimensional ultrasound can acquire the axial plane of the levator hiatus; tomographic ultrasound imaging allows real-time observation of the levator ani muscle injury; shear wave elastography can provide a quantitative assessment of the contractility and elastic characteristics of the levator ani muscle in real-time. It is of great significance to summarize the basic principles of various ultrasound imaging techniques, summarize the ultrasound image characteristics of levator ani muscle and its hiatus in different populations and different states, and explore the cut-off values and diagnostic criteria-related ultrasound parameters for improving the diagnostic efficiency of pelvic floor ultrasound for levator ani muscle injury, leading to reducing missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis of lesions.

Lateral abdominal muscle thickness and contractile function in women with and without stress urinary incontinence.

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) primarily results from the weakness of pelvic floor muscles, working synergistically with the abdominal muscles. The current study aimed to compare thickness and contractile function of lateral abdominal muscles in women with and without SUI. Thirty-nine women with SUI (SUI group; age: 38.87±8.96 years, body mass index (BMI): 24.03 (5.94) kg/m2) and 42 healthy women (control group; age: 36.21±11.46 years, BMI: 23.90 (5.85) kg/m2) were included. Transverse abdominis (TrA) and internal oblique (IO) muscle thickness at rest and during abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) were measured with ultrasound imaging in B-mode using a Logiq S7/Expert device and a 9-11 MHz linear transducer. Percentage change in thickness and contractile function of these muscles were also calculated. No significant differences in the thickness of TrA and IO muscles at rest and during ADIM between the groups were found (p>0.05). The percent change in thickness and contractile function of both right and left side TrA muscles and the right side IO muscle were lower in SUI group than control group (p<0.05). The percentage change in thickness and the contractile function of the left side IO muscle did not change (p>0.05). Women with SUI had a smaller percentage change in thickness and contractile function of TrA and IO muscle than women without SUI. However, there was no difference in the morphological features of these muscles between the groups. Considering the lateral abdominal muscle, training may be important for management of SUI.

Electromyographic Activity of the Pelvic Floor Muscles and Internal Oblique Muscles in Women during Running with Traditional and Minimalist Shoes: A Cross-Over Clinical Trial.

The study aimed to investigate the effects of footwear on the electromyographic (EMG) activity of pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) and internal oblique (IO) muscles during running at different speeds. The study also aimed to explore the correlation between EMG activity of PFMs and IO muscles and participants' morphological characteristics. Ten nulliparous female runners were included in the study. The participants ran for 90 s at speeds of 9, 11, and 13 km/h wearing both traditional and minimalist shoes. EMG outcomes were presented as a percentage of maximum voluntary contraction (%MVC). Comparative analysis was conducted using the Wilcoxon rank test. Correlational analysis was performed using the Rho-Spearman correlation coefficient. The %MVC for the IO muscles was significantly lower when using minimalist shoes compared to traditional shoes (p = 0.04). No statistically significant differences were found for the PFMs (p > 0.05). The study also observed large correlations between age and %MVC of the PFMs and IO muscles (rho = -0.64; p = 0.04). Minimalist shoes decreased the activity of IO muscles in female runners. However, no significant differences in EMG activity of PFMs were found when comparing traditional and minimalist footwear. The long-term effects of minimalist footwear on EMG activity of PFMs and IO muscles, as well as their relationship to morphological characteristics, require further investigation.

Ferrostatin-1 alleviates the damage of C2C12 myoblast and mouse pelvic floor muscle induced by mechanical trauma

Ferroptosis is a special form of regulated cell death, which is reported to play an important role in a variety of traumatic diseases by promoting lipid peroxidation and devastating cell membrane structure. Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is a kind of disease affecting the quality and health of many women’s lives, which is closely related to the injury of the pelvic floor muscle. Clinical findings have discovered that there is anomalous oxidative damage to the pelvic floor muscle in women with PFD caused by mechanical trauma, but the specific mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we explored the role of ferroptosis-associated oxidative mechanisms in mechanical stretching-induced pelvic floor muscle injury, and whether obesity predisposed pelvic floor muscle to ferroptosis from mechanical injury. Our results, in vitro, showed that mechanical stretch could induce oxidative damage to myoblasts and trigger ferroptosis. In addition, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) down-regulation and 15-lipoxygenase 1(15LOX-1) up-regulation exhibited the same variational characteristics as ferroptosis, which was much more pronounced in palmitic acid (PA)-treated myoblasts. Furthermore, ferroptosis induced by mechanical stretch could be rescued by ferroptosis inhibitor (ferrostatin-1). More importantly, in vivo, we found that the mitochondria of pelvic floor muscle shrank, which were consistent with the mitochondrial morphology of ferroptosis, and GPX4 and 15LOX-1 showed the same change observed in cells. In conclusion, our data suggest ferroptosis is involved in the injury of the pelvic floor muscle caused by mechanical stretching, and provide a novel insight for PFD therapy.

Gamma-band Intermuscular Connectivity Is Associated With Increased Neural Drive to Pelvic Floor Muscles in Women With Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome.

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients can experience overactive pelvic floor muscle activity at rest. While the frequency power spectrum of pelvic floor muscle has briefly been explored, intermuscular connectivity of the pelvic floor muscle has yet to be studied, which may provide useful insight into the neurological component, ie, neural drive to muscles, in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. High-density surface electromyography was collected from 15 female interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients with pelvic floor tenderness and 15 urologically healthy female controls. Intermuscular connectivity was calculated across the maximally active locations of the left and right sides of the pelvic floor muscle as identified from the root mean squared amplitude at rest and compared with Student t tests for common sensorimotor rhythms involved in motor control: alpha (8-12 Hz), beta (13-30 Hz), and gamma (31-70 Hz) frequency bands. The root mean squared amplitudes at rest were also compared across groups. The resting root mean squared amplitude of the pelvic floor muscle was significantly greater in female interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients compared to healthy female controls (P = .0046). The gamma-band intermuscular connectivity was significantly different between rest and pelvic floor muscle contraction (P = .0001) for healthy female controls, but not for female patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (P = .1214). Both results indicate an elevated neural drive to pelvic floor muscle at rest in female interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients. Gamma-band pelvic floor muscle connectivity in female interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients is increased at rest. The results of this study may provide insight into the impaired neural drive to pelvic floor muscle implicated with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.

Morphological Changes of the Suboccipital Musculature in Women with Myofascial Temporomandibular Pain: A Case-Control Study.

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is an umbrella term including pain problems involving the cranio-cervical region. It has been suggested that patients with TMD also exhibit cervical spine disturbances. Evidence suggests the presence of morphological changes in the deep cervical muscles in individuals with headaches. The objective of this study was to compare the morphology of the suboccipital muscles between women with TMD and healthy controls. An observational, cross-sectional case-control study was conducted. An ultrasound examination of the suboccipital musculature (rectus capitis posterior minor, rectus capitis posterior major, oblique capitis superior, oblique capitis inferior) was conducted in 20 women with myofascial TMD and 20 matched controls. The cross-sectional area (CSA), perimeter, depth, width, and length of each muscle were calculated by a blinded assessor. The results revealed that women with myofascial TMD pain exhibited bilaterally reduced thickness, CSA, and perimeter in all the suboccipital muscles when compared with healthy women. The width and depth of the suboccipital musculature were similar between women with myofascial TMD and pain-free controls. This study found morphological changes in the suboccipital muscles in women with myofascial TMD pain. These changes can be related to muscle atrophy and are similar to those previously found in women with headaches. Future studies are required to investigate the clinical relevance of these findings by determining if the specific treatment of these muscles could help clinically patients with myofascial TMD.