Search

Question: In women who are unable to contract their pelvic floor muscles voluntarily, what is the effect of an intravaginal electrical stimulation regimen on their ability to contract the pelvic floor muscles and on self-reported urinary incontinence? Design: Randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation, blinded assessors and intention-to-treat analysis. Participants: Sixty-four women with pelvic floor muscle function assessed by bi-digital palpation to be grade 0 or 1 on the Modified Oxford Scale. Intervention: For 8 weeks, participants randomised to the experimental group received weekly 20-minute sessions of intravaginal electrical stimulation with instructions to attempt pelvic floor muscle contractions during the bursts of electrical stimulation in the final 10 minutes of each session. The control group received no intervention. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was ability to voluntarily contract the pelvic floor muscles, evaluated through vaginal palpation using the Modified Oxford Scale. Secondary outcomes were prevalence and severity of urinary incontinence symptoms assessed by the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire on Urinary Incontinence-Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) score from 0 to 21. Results: Sixty-one participants provided outcome data. After the intervention, the ability to contract the pelvic floor muscles was acquired by 36% of the experimental group and 12% of the control group (absolute risk difference 0.24, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.43). The experimental group also improved by a mean of 2 points more than the control group on the ICIQ-UI-SF score (95% CI 0.02 to 3.97). Conclusion: In women who are unable to contract their pelvic floor muscles voluntarily, 8 weeks of intravaginal electrical stimulation with voluntary contraction attempts improved their ability to contract their pelvic floor muscles and reduced the overall severity and impact of urinary incontinence on quality of life. Although the main estimates of these effects indicate that the effects are large enough to be worthwhile, the precision of these estimates was low, so it is not possible to confirm whether the effects are trivial or worthwhile. Trial registration: NCT03319095.

Aim To perform a systematic review of available mHealth apps for menstrual cycle monitoring in Brazil. Methods A search for menstrual cycle mHealth apps from the Google Play Store and AppStore in Brazil was performed by two independent reviewers on October 2020, and the quality of eligible mHealth apps was assessed using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). Results Our review identified 2400 potentially relevant mHealth apps, of which 56 were eligible for inclusion. The majority of the apps offered tools to track menstruation symptoms (63%) and educational content for users (32%). The mean ( ±SD) MARS app quality score for the 28 evaluated apps in Android was 3.5 ± 0.6 on a 0-5 scale. For the 28 evaluated apps in iOS, the mean app quality score was 3.8 ± 0.4. Most of the included apps, for both systems, scored average for credibility, user interface, and engagement. Conclusion The majority of available tools in Brazil are of moderate quality and limited functionality for menstrual cycle monitoring. This study highlights the top three mHealth apps available on each online store for individuals seeking menstrual cycle monitoring options.

The aims of this study were to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Vulvovaginal Symptoms Questionnaire (VSQ) into Brazilian Portuguese (VSQ-Br) and evaluate its measurement properties (structural validity, construct validity, internal consistency, and reliability).Cross-cultural adaptation was conducted through the translation, synthesis, and back-translation of the VSQ-Br. Subsequently, 314 women completed the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire, Pelvic Floor Disorders Inventory, Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, and VSQ-Br. Seven to 10 days later, participants completed the VSQ-Br for the second time. Data were submitted for confirmatory factor analysis. Cronbach α was used to verify internal consistency, and construct validity was assessed using Pearson correlation coefficient ( r ). Reliability was calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient.Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the questions were grouped into four domains (symptoms, emotions, life impact, and sexual impact). The model showed good fit (0.95). The Cronbach α in this study was 0.85, reflecting adequate internal consistency. Adequate reliability was confirmed, with an intraclass correlation coefficient total score of 0.80. The VSQ-Br had a weak correlation with the pelvic domain of the Pelvic Floor Disorders Inventory, the pelvic organ prolapse domain of the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire, and pain, vitality, and the social aspect domains of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey.The VSQ-Br was validated and had acceptable measurement properties for assessing vulvovaginal symptoms in Brazilian women.

Background The prevalence of sexual dysfunction is high in postmenopausal women and pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) could improve sexual function during this period. Aim To assess the effect of a PFMT protocol on sexual function in postmenopausal women and to investigate the effect of this protocol on pelvic floor muscle function. Methods This is an assessor blinded randomized controlled trial including 77 postmenopausal women. The study was registered in ReBEC Trial: RBR-3s3ff7. The intervention group (n = 40) received an intensive supervised PFMT protocol during 12 weeks and the control group (n = 37) received no intervention. Outcomes The primary outcome of the study was assessed by the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire and the secondary outcome was the evaluation of pelvic floor muscle function performed by digital palpation using the modified Oxford scale at baseline and after 12 weeks. RESULTS No difference between groups was found in the FSFI domains and total score at baseline and in the second evaluation after 12 weeks. However, after 12 weeks, a higher percentage of women without sexual dysfunction was found in the intervention group (95% CI = 27.97–72.03) when compared to the control group (95% CI = 7.13–92.87). No difference was found between groups in relation to the pelvic floor muscle function at the baseline (P = .2) and after 12 weeks (P = .06). Clinical Implications PFMT is a conservative intervention that can lead women to have less sexual dysfunction. Strengths & Limitations The protocol provided a reduced number of women with sexual dysfunction, the strength of this research is the study design and the limitation is to have used only one tool to assess sexual function although it is a validated questionnaire. CONCLUSION PFMT decreases sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women.

AIMS To investigate the intrarater reliability of visual inspection and digital palpation to classify women's ability to perform a voluntary pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contraction and the association between the two methods. METHODS This was a test-retest clinical study including 44 women. The ability to perform a PFM voluntary contraction was evaluated two times in all participants using visual inspection and digital palpation. All analyzed participants were assessed with a 7-day interval between the two assessments and by the same examiner. Kappa's agreement coefficient was used to estimate the intrarater reliability, and Fisher's exact test was used to analyze association between the two methods. RESULTS This study found a substantial intrarater reliability of visual inspection (k = 0.73; p

SUMMARY There is no pooled information about pelvic floor parameters (muscle assessment, disorders) of women with gynecologicaL endocrinopathies (eg. polycystic ovary syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, premature ovarian insufficiency). Given that, a systematic review was performed on the Pubmed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Scielo and PEDro databases regarding the main gynecological endocrinopathies [polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and hyperprolactinemia (HPL)] since their inception to April 2020. Data quality assessment was made by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) adapted for cross-sectional studies. A total of 4,272 results were retrieved from all databases. After excluding duplicate results and screening by title and abstract, nine studies were selected for quantitative analysis. Seven studies were performed with women with PCOS and two studies with POI. Women with PCOS presented a higher prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) among obese women, a higher thickness of the levator ani muscle, and higher levels of muscle activity measured by surface electromyograph when compared to the control women. Regarding POI, there was no association with UI, FI, and POP. NOS found that the quality assessment for these selected studies ranged from 5 to 8. We concluded that higher pelvic muscle activity and volume were found in women with PCOS, with further studies needed to confirm this data. Literature was scant about POI, CAH, and HPL. RESUMO Existe informação não organizada sobre a avaliação do assoalho pélvico de mulheres com endocrinopatias ginecológicas (ex. síndrome dos ovários policísticos - SOP, hiperplasia adrenal congênita - HAC, insuficiência ovariana prematura - IOP). Dessa forma, objetivamos realizar uma revisão sistemática foi realizada nas bases Pubmed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Scielo e PEDro sobre as endocrinopatias ginecológicas (SOP, HAC, IOP e hiperprolactinemia (HPL) desde a origem a abril de 2020. A avaliação da qualidade de dados foi real-izada pela escala de Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) adaptada para estudos transversais. De 4,272 resultados encontrados em todas as databases, após exclusão por duplicatas, triando por título e resumos, nove estudos foram selecionados para análise quantitativa. Sete estudos foram realizados para mulheres com SOP e dois estudos com IOP. Em suma, mulheres com SOP apresentados uma alta prevalência de incontinência urinária (IU) em mulheres obesas, alta espessura do músculo elevador do ânus, altos níveis de atividade muscular aferida por eletromiografia de superfície quando comparadas com mulheres do grupo controle. Sobre a IOP, esta não foi associada com IU, IF e POP. A escala NOS evidenciou que a qualidade dos estudos selecionados variou de 5 a 8. Concluímos que uma alta atividade e volume muscular foi encontrada em mulheres com SOP, com estudos posteriores sendo necessários para confirmar estes achados. Literatura foi escassa para IOP, HAC e HPL.

Aim: To evaluate the radiotherapy (RT) effect in the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) function in men with prostate cancer (PC). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study included three groups of patients with PC and RT indication: 1) Pre-RT group: evaluated before the beginning of RT; 2) Acute group: evaluated between six months and one year after RT; 3) Late Group: evaluated between two and a half years and four years post-RT. PFM assessment was divided into: a) functional assessment through the digital anal palpation (Modified Oxford Scale) and surface electromyography (sEMG) with anal probe; b) anatomical assessment by pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with thickness measurements of levator ani muscle and pelvic specific parameters at rest and under Valsalva maneuver. We used Student t test, considering as significant p

Background Overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome can be very bothersome and is associated with impaired quality of life and work productivity. Objective To evaluate the effect of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) on OAB symptoms in women. Furthermore, to assess the influence of PFMT on pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function, satisfaction with treatment, side effects, adherence and the quality of exercise reporting. Data sources Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Electronic search was conducted on MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, SciELO, SCOPUS, Web of Science and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). The risk of bias was assessed using the PEDro scale. The Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) was used to assess the quality of exercise reporting. Study selection Full text RCTs including non-pregnant female participants, investigating PFMT vs inactive control or usual care, other life style modifications or other interventions. Synthesis methods Descriptive analysis. Results Eleven RCTs were included. There was considerable heterogeneity of PFMT protocols, outcome measures and follow-up periods. Hence, a qualitative analysis was undertaken. PFMT provided a significant reduction of OAB symptoms in five studies with a reduction in urinary frequency (n = 1), and urgency urinary incontinence (n = 4). PFM function was assessed in three studies, and two studies found improvement in favor of PFMT. Limitations A meta-analysis was not possible due to huge heterogeneity of included studies. Conclusion PFMT might reduce OAB symptoms, however, due to many limitations of the published studies it is not possible to clearly determine the effect of PFMT on OAB symptoms and PFM function. Systematic Review Registration Number PROSPERO CRD42018085640.

A transgender person has a gender identity opposite to the sex assigned at birth. Transgender individuals may have altered sexual function (SF) due to psychosocial factors related to body image distortion, shame, and dissatisfaction with genital appearance, and these conditions can increase the risk of sexual dysfunction. This study aimed to characterize the SF of trans-women after gender affirming surgery (GAS). We reviewed the Pubmed database for studies published between January 2008 and December 2021. 17 studies were included, four were cross-sectional studies, one prospective study, four prospective cohort studies, five retrospective studies. The instruments used to evaluate the SF were female sexual function index, semistructured questionnaires, patients' opinion, Sexual Desire Inventory, Maudsley Marital Questionnaire-S, WHOQOL-100. The results of our review indicate there is weak evidence that GAS improves the SF of trans-women. We thus recommend that future studies use questionnaires that are validated for the assessment of the SF of trans-women to better determine the impact of genital surgery in this population.

AIMS To assess women's self-perception of their pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contraction and its agreement with an assessed PFM contraction. Further, to assess a possible correlation between women's self-perception and reports of urinary incontinence (UI) and between PFM contraction and severity of UI. METHODS A cross-sectional observational study including 82 women. The study was conducted in a basic healthcare unit in Brazil. PFM contraction was assessed by a physiotherapist and estimated by women using the Modified Oxford Scale (MOS). UI symptoms were assessed using a validated questionnaire (ICIQ-UI-SF). A descriptive analysis of the data was performed. The weighted κ coefficient, Spearman's correlation coefficient, and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze data. RESULTS Eighty-two women with a mean age of 46.83 (±17.94) were analyzed. The majority (98.8%) believed they were able to voluntarily contract their PFM, but only 33% correctly estimated their PFM considering the examiner assessment as reference. No agreement (κ = 0.139, P = .087) was found between the examiner's classification and the women's estimation of their PFM contraction. Women's self-perception did not correlate with the ICIQ-IU-SF (r's = .011, P = .922). A moderate negative correlation was found between the assessed PFM contraction and the ICIQ-UI-SF score (r's = -.406, P = .00). CONCLUSION Most of the women did not show an accurate self-perception of PFM contraction. No correlation between women's self-perception and the ICIQ-UI-SF score was found, but a negative correlation was found between the assessed PFM contraction and the ICIQ-UI-SF score.

ver PDF

Introdução: Considerando a pandemia de Covid-19 e a assistência fisioterapêutica nos cânceres de mama e ginecológico, o desafio tem sido continuar ou iniciar a fisioterapia para prevenir ou tratar complicações. Objetivo: Oferecer recomendações voltadas à fisioterapia para os cânceres de mama e ginecológico durante o período de Covid-19. Método: Estudo descritivo produzido após consulta pública sobre o tema, baseado na revisão da literatura e nas considerações de grupo de especialistas. Para graduar a força das recomendações para os desfechos incluídos, utilizou-se o sistema GRADE. Resultados: Oitenta e dois fisioterapeutas de diferentes regiões brasileiras responderam à pesquisa, remotamente. A maioria (36,6%) relatou necessidade de informação sobre equipamento de proteção individual e sua higiene; 18,3% sobre controle e prevenção de linfedema, enfaixamento compressivo e cuidados com a pele; e 17,1% sobre disfunção do assoalho pélvico. A análise da consulta pública, revisão da literatura e considerações dos especialistas resultaram nas recomendações sobre: impacto da pandemia de Covid-19 no acompanhamento fisioterapêutico das mulheres submetidas ao tratamento oncológico mamário ou ginecológico; acompanhamento das complicações mais prevalentes por meio da telefisioterapia; atenção às mulheres em cuidados paliativos; e segurança na assistência após retorno presencial. Aspectos da tomada de decisão em relação ao formato das sessões e critérios de retorno à rotina presencial foram discutidos. Conclusão: Este manuscrito recomenda a continuidade da fisioterapia durante e após a pandemia de Covid-19, destacando componentes educativos e de autoaplicação, priorizando um plano de atividade física e exercícios específicos para contribuir para melhor qualidade de vida das mulheres.

Background Many recommendations contained in the guidelines available to date are specifically related to clinical practice in obstetrics. Although many physiotherapists are facing similar issues to gynecologists and obstetricians about the care and well-being of pregnant women with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, no specific guidelines were found regarding the physiotherapist's practice in this area. This article aimed to offer guidance regarding physiotherapy in obstetrics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A group of experts in physiotherapy in women's health performed a literature search and proposed a clinical guideline for the physiotherapy management of assistance during pregnancy, labour, and the postpartum period in times of COVID-19. This document was reviewed by other physiotherapists, which analyzed the suggested topics and reached a consensus. Results The recommendation addresses in general terms concerning pregnancy and the postpartum period during the COVID-19 pandemic, summarize the physiotherapy care in obstetrics, the practice of the physiotherapist at the outpatient level, physiotherapy clinics, and at pregnant women’s home. Recommendations on the safety of the care environment; general aspects of care to pregnant women without symptoms of COVID-19; specific aspects of care for pregnant women without symptoms of COVID-19; care to pregnant women with COVID-19; the practice of activity and physical exercises monitored in pregnant women and the postpartum in times of pandemic and about the physiotherapist's assistance in the maternity hospital with parturients and puerperal women are still presented. Conclusion This study provides some guidance for continuity of the physiotherapist's work in obstetrics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telephysiotherapy is a possibility for the permanence of care during the pandemic, opening new perspectives for the expansion of practice and research in women’s health, especially in obstetrics.

The literature presents controversial results regarding the role of delivery mode in pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function after birth. Some studies showed a greater impairment of PFM function after vaginal delivery compared with cesarean section, while others have not identified a significant difference between these two modes of delivery. This study aimed to investigate whether there was a difference in short-term PFM function after childbirth in primiparous women who underwent cesarean section compared with those who underwent vaginal delivery. Up to December 2018, the PubMed-MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Bireme, Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases were searched. Two independent reviewers performed the selection process based on titles, abstracts, and full-text reading. Observational studies comparing PFM function after cesarean section versus vaginal delivery in primiparous women were included. PRISMA guidelines and Cochrane recommendations were followed. Methodological quality of the primary studies was assessed through the checklist proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute for cross-sectional studies. Random effects meta-analysis was performed to synthesize evidence regarding PFM strength in primiparous woman after vaginal delivery compared with cesarean section. The GRADE approach was applied to classify the quality of the evidence. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. A total of 1726 primiparous women were analyzed after childbirth. Five studies were included in the meta-analysis. No difference in PFM strength after childbirth was identified when cesarean section was compared with vaginal delivery [standardized mean difference (SMD): −0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.85 to 0.56]. Differences in PFM strength were identified when patients who underwent cesarean section were compared with those with an episiotomy or instrumented vaginal delivery (SMD: −12.51, CI 95%: −24.57 to −0.44), favoring the cesarean section group. In both cases, the quality of evidence was classified as very low because of the observational design of the included studies and population heterogeneity. There was no difference in short-term PFM strength after childbirth between primiparous women who underwent cesarean section or vaginal delivery, as assessed through vaginal manometry. However, we identified reduced PFM strength in women who underwent an episiotomy or instrumented vaginal delivery compared with those who underwent cesarean section. Nevertheless, this conclusion should be cautiously considered as the observational design of the primary studies and possible heterogeneity among the primiparous women included in the studies contributed to reducing the quality of the evidence synthesized. Future primary studies with longitudinal designs and long-term follow-up periods are needed to strengthen the quality of evidence and provide more conclusive evidence to guide clinical practice.

Background Urinary incontinence (UI) is a serious condition for which often times insufficient non-surgical treatment options are provided or sought. Mobile health (mHealth) applications (apps) offer potential to assist with the self-management of UI. Objective To perform a systematic review of available mHealth apps for UI in Brazil. Methods A search for UI mHealth apps from the Google Play Store and AppStore in Brazil was performed by two independent reviewers on June 4 2020, and the quality of eligible mHealth apps was assessed using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). Results Of the 1111 mHealth apps found, 12 were eligible for inclusion. Four offered exclusively exercise programs, six offered exercise and educational content, and two offered tools to track patient-reported symptoms. The included apps scored poorly on the MARS quality scale, with a mean ± standard deviation score of 2.7 ± 0.6 on a 0–5 scale. Most apps scored poorly based on credibility, user interface and experience, and engagement. Conclusion Although there is growing interest in the development of mHealth technologies to support patients with UI, currently available tools in Brazil are of poor quality and limited functionality. Effective collaboration between industry and research is needed to develop new user-centered mHealth apps that can empower patients with UI.

Introduction and aim Physiotherapy in urogynecology faces challenges to safely continuing its work, considering the adoption of social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some guidelines have already been published for urogynecology; however, no specific documents have been produced on physiotherapy in urogynecology. This article aimed to offer guidance regarding physiotherapy in urogynecology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A group of experts in physiotherapy in women’s health performed a literature search in the Pubmed, PEDro, Web of Science and Embase databases and proposed a clinical guideline for physiotherapy management of urogynecological disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. This document was reviewed by other physiotherapists and a multidisciplinary panel, which analyzed the suggested topics and reached consensus. The recommendations were grouped according to their similarities and allocated into categories. Results Four categories of recommendations (ethics and regulation issues, assessment of pelvic floor muscle function and dysfunction, health education and return to in-person care) were proposed. Telephysiotherapy and situations that need in-person care were also discussed. Regionalization is another topic that was considered. Conclusion This study provides some guidance for continuity of the physiotherapist's work in urogynecology during the COVID-19 pandemic, considering the World Health Organization recommendations and the epidemiological public health situation of each region. Telephysiotherapy can also be used to provide continuity of the care in this area during the COVID-19 pandemic, opening new perspectives for physiotherapy in urogynecology.

To evaluate the responsiveness of Brazilian-Portuguese version of Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20) and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 (PFIQ-7) after pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI).This is an observational study with 72 women (51.8 ± 11.9SD years) with SUI (n = 33) and MUI (n = 39). Participants answered PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 before and after PFMT, which consisted of a 12 weeks protocol supervised by a physiotherapist once a week with 30 min of a duration. Wilcoxon test, effect size (ES) and standardized response mean (SRM) were performed on baseline and after three months.We found a significant reduction in PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 after PFMT (p 0.001), except for Pelvic Organ Prolapses Distress Inventory (POPDI-16), Colorectal-Anal Impact Questionnaire (CRAIQ-7) and Pelvic Organ Prolapse Impact Questionnaire (POPIQ-7). The responsiveness of both questionnaires was considered moderate for PFDI-20 (ES = 0.49; SEM = 0.61; p 0.0001) and PFIQ-7 (ES = 0.51; SEM = 0.52; p 0.0001).PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 Brazilian Portuguese version presented moderate responsiveness in women with SUI and MUI who performed a PFMT.

Question Among women who have participated in group-based education about the pelvic floor, what are their perceptions of the program and the group format? Design Exploratory longitudinal qualitative study. Participants Community-dwelling women aged ≥ 18 years who participated in three or four sessions of pelvic floor education in a group format at a university clinic. Data extraction and analysis Semi-structured group or individual interviews were conducted at three time points: 1 week, 3 months and ≥ 5 months after the education activity. Data were inductively content analysed and independently coded, with iterative theme development. Results Women considered the content and delivery appropriate and useful. New knowledge was assimilated and shared with others, and many tried to adopt pelvic floor muscle training in daily life. The women felt that the education sessions might benefit other women, with and without pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms, and that such education would ideally be more widely available. A perception of the value of the education persisted over time, even though maintenance of some health-promoting behaviours, such as pelvic floor muscle training, decreased. Conclusion The pelvic floor group education sessions appeared to fulfil the purpose of increasing knowledge about pelvic floor (dys)function and applying this in daily life. Overall, the participants, who had completed three or four of the four sessions, found the program to be useful. A unique feature of this study was longitudinal data collection and it seemed that the perception of value persisted over time.

There seems to be little knowledge about pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) in the general population; however, literature confirming this assertion is scarce, especially in developing countries. The present study hypothesized a low level of knowledge about PFMs in a sample of Brazilian women and a positive relationship between that knowledge and the ability to contract the PFMs, strength, and urinary continence. This was a cross-sectional study including 133 women. A questionnaire assessing knowledge about PFMs and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) were applied. Vaginal palpation and manometry were used to assess PFM condition. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to test the association between PFM knowledge and continuous variables, and Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the women’s PFM knowledge with the categorical variables. A low level of PFM knowledge was observed in this sample, with a mean total score of 0.48 (±0.97). Vaginal manometry peak, mean, and duration values were 39.1 cmH2O (±23.7), 25.5 cmH2O (±16.1), and 21.1 s (±20.8) respectively. The ICIQ-UI-SF mean score was 7.1 (± 6.8). There were weak correlations between PFM knowledge and age (r −0.2044/ p = 0.01), and parity (r −0.19568/p = 0.02). PFM knowledge was higher among women with higher education levels (p = 0.0012) and those who had previously performed PFM training (p

To evaluate the effect of vaginal palpation, vaginal palpation associated with posterior pelvic tilt, and intravaginal electrical stimulation in facilitating voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles in women.A randomized controlled trial in which 132 women with pelvic floor muscles function graded at 0 or 1 using the Modified Oxford Scale were randomized into four groups: vaginal palpation (n=33); vaginal palpation with posterior pelvic tilt (n=33); intravaginal electrical stimulation (n=33) and a control group (n=33) that only received verbal instructions. The primary outcome was evaluated by the Modified Oxford Scale and the secondary using the ICIQ-UI-SF. The assessment was performed at baseline with follow-up assessment after eight weeks.A total of 69.7% of the women from posterior pelvic tilt; 63.6% from vaginal palpation; 33.3% from intravaginal electrical stimulation; and 18.2% from control group (p0.001) were able to attain Modified Oxford Scale greater than or equal to 2 after eight weeks. In comparison with control group, the posterior pelvic tilt (OR=10.35; 95% CI=3.26-32.84) and vaginal palpation (OR=7.87; 95% CI=2.53-24.47) had the most significant improvement as opposed to intravaginal electrical stimulation (OR=2.25; 95% CI=0.72-7.06). There was significant improvement among all of the groups in UI. The largest changes respectively were noted in the vaginal palpation, posterior pelvic tilt, intravaginal electrical stimulation and control group. There were no reports of adverse effects.Vaginal palpation with posterior pelvic tilt and vaginal palpation were more effective interventions to facilitate pelvic floor muscles contraction when compared with intravaginal electrical stimulation and controls. Vaginal palpation was the most effective in improving urinary incontinence. Clinical Trials Identifier: ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT02062242.

Although aging is considered a risk factor for pelvic floor muscle dysfunction (PFMD), the effect of aging on the function of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) remains unclear.To compare PFM function and activity in nulliparous women in different age groups.This was a cross-sectional study in which 70 women with ages between 18 and 69 years were divided into five age groups for evaluation. Initially, medical histories were taken, and then the PFM function was assessed using digital palpation (Modified Oxford Scale), manometry and surface electromyography (sEMG). The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to check the differences between the groups. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to verify the correlations between age and PFM function, manometry values and sEMG. A significance level of 5% was adopted.No significant differences were observed between the different age groups in PFM digital palpation, manometry values and sEMG. There was a low negative correlation between age root mean square and peak of sEMG signals.This study found no difference in PFM function and activity between nulliparous women in the five different age groups. Future long-term large prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.

Na gravidez ocorre redução da performance de vários grupamentos musculares, incluindo aqueles do assoalho pélvico. Visto o importante papel da musculatura do assoalho pélvico sobre os mecanismos da continência urinária, justifica-se a preocupação com a busca de intervenções que possam realmente amenizar ou reverter os efeitos da gravidez sobre a sua função. O treinamento dos músculos do assoalho pélvico quando realizado na gravidez, poderia aumentar a força desse grupo muscular e prevenir a incontinência urinária tanto na gestação quanto no pós-parto. Além disto, espera-se que estas intervenções possam reduzir o perí­odo expulsivo do parto e a ocorrência de trauma perineal. O objetivo deste artigo foi analisar criticamente os resultados dos estudos que investigaram as repercussões de programas de treinamento dos músculos do assoalho pélvico na gravidez. Sabe-se que investigações sistematizadas sobre esse tema ainda são escassas e os resultados controversos, não permitindo afirmar que o treinamento da musculatura do assoalho pélvico pode proporcionar ganho de força muscular. Entretanto, existem fortes indí­cios de que as taxas de incontinência urinária poderiam ser reduzidas por meio desses programas. Palavras-chave: assoalho pélvico, gravidez, exercí­cio fí­sico, treinamento, incontinência urinária.

To undertake a systematic review of the literature on physical therapy methods to facilitate voluntary pelvic floor muscles (PFM) contraction.The databases consulted were PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PEDro and CINHAL. The study included randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental trials and systematic reviews. The GRADE scale was used to assess methodological quality.Six manuscripts were included. The methods investigated included instruction regarding the anatomy and function of the PFM, vaginal palpation, palpation on the central perineal tendon, interruption of urinary flow, biofeedback using a perineometer, vaginal cones, hypopressive exercise, PFM contraction associated with diaphragmatic breathing; and coactivation of abdominal muscles. The studies showed improvement in PFM contraction, but most were of low methodological quality. Only one study was characterized as being of high methodological quality.All the studies observed improvement in PFM contraction using various methods, but none were superior over the others. The studies revealed no adverse effects of the interventions used. Patient preferences should be taken into account in clinical decision-making. More studies of high methodological quality on this topic are needed.

RESUMO Foi realizado um estudo transversal descritivo em que se avaliou o perfil dos docentes e o conteúdo ministrado em disciplinas de Fisioterapia em Saúde da Mulher em Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) públicas do Brasil. Docentes da área de Fisioterapia em Saúde da Mulher ou áreas afins de instituições públicas brasileiras foram convidados a preencher um questionário estruturado, contendo questões sobre dados pessoais, formação acadêmica, atuação profissional e conteúdo programático da disciplina. Os dados foram analisados de forma descritiva no Programa SAS, sendo que participaram 51 docentes, de 44 cursos de Fisioterapia, dos quais a maioria é do sexo feminino, com média de idade de 39,6±7,4 anos. A maior parte dos docentes realizam atividades de pesquisa, ensino e extensão e possuem mestrado e doutorado, mas apenas 25,5% estão credenciados em programas de pós-graduação stricto sensu. Todos os cursos oferecem pelo menos uma disciplina obrigatória e em 54,6% dos cursos é oferecido estágio obrigatório na área de Fisioterapia em Saúde da Mulher. Os conteúdos ministrados e cenários de prática são diversificados, assim como o nome das disciplinas e estágios. Na maior parte dos cursos, os alunos aprendem a realizar a palpação vaginal no estágio e as habilidades práticas são treinadas de modo diversificado e em variados cenários de prática. O nome das disciplinas são variados, assim como a forma de treinamento das habilidades práticas ministradas. RESUMEN Fue realizado un estudio transversal descritivo en que se evaluó el perfil de los docentes y el contenido impartido en asignaturas de Fisioterapia en Salud de la Mujer en Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES) públicas de Brasil. Docentes de la área de Fisioterapia en Salud de la Mujer o áreas asociadas de instituciones públicas brasileñas fueron invitados a llenar un cuestionario estructurado con cuestiones sobre datos personales, formación académica, actuación profesional y contenido programático de la asignatura. Los datos fueron analizados de forma descritiva en el Programa SAS, siendo que participaron 51 docentes, de 44 cursos de Fisioterapia, de los cuales la mayoría es del sexo femenino, con media de edad de 39,6±7,4 años. La mayor parte de los docentes realizan actividades de investigación, enseñanza y extensión y posseen maestría y doctorado, mas sólo 25,5% estan acreditados en programas de posgrado stricto sensu. Todos los cursos ofrecen por lo menos una asignatura obligatoria y en 54,6% de los cursos es ofrecida pasantía obligatoria en la área de Fisioterapia en Salud de la Mujer. Los contenidos impartidos y escenarios de práctica son diversificados, así como el nombre de las asignaturas y pasantías. En la mayor parte de los cursos, los alumnos aprenden a realizar la palpación vaginal en la pasantía y las habilidades prácticas son entrenadas de modo diversificado y en variados escenarios de práctica. El nombre de las asignaturas son variados, así como la forma de entrenamiento de las habilidades prácticas impartidas. ABSTRACT It was assessed the profile of faculty members and contents of Physical Therapy in Women’s Health taught in Public Institutions of Higher Education in Brazil. This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study. Professors of Physical Therapy in Women’s Health or related areas of Brazilian Public Institutions were invited to fill a structured questionnaire containing questions about personal information, academic background, professional experience and syllabus of the subject. Data were descriptively analyzed in the SAS Program. Fifty-one professors of 44 Physical Therapy programs participated in the research. Most of the professors were women, with an average age of 39.6 ± 7.4 years. Most of them held research, teaching and extension activities and master’s and doctoral degrees, but only 25.5% are registered in Graduate Programs in Specialized Fields (Master’s or Doctorate). All programs offer at least one compulsory subject and in 54.6% of the programs a compulsory internship in Physical Therapy in Women’s Health is offered. The contents taught and practice scenarios are diverse, as well as the name of the subjects and internships. In most programs, students learn how to perform vaginal palpation in the internship and practical skills are trained in a diversified way and in varied practical scenarios. The professors are young, female and conduct teaching, research and extension activities. All programs offer mandatory subjects in the area and most of them offer mandatory internship. The name of the subjects vary as well as the form of training of the practical skills taught.

AIMS To assess the effects of individual pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training vs individual training (IT) progressing to group training (GT) vs group-only training in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). METHODS Randomized controlled and pragmatic clinical trials with 90 women with SUI. Participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups: IT, GT, or four individual sessions progressing to group training (IPGT). The intervention included 12 sessions, once a week, with direct supervision by a physical therapist. PRIMARY OUTCOME severity according to the King's Health Questionnaire. SECONDARY OUTCOMES PFM function by palpation and manometer, bladder and exercise diaries, PFM training adherence, and self-efficacy. Reassessments were conducted at the end of the intervention, 3 and 6 months after the intervention. Intra- and intergroup analysis for all outcomes was performed using a multivariate analysis of variance. In the mixed-effects model used, the evaluation groups and times and their interactions were considered. A significance level of 5% was adopted. RESULTS After the intervention, the severity measure improved in all three groups (P

Objective We sought to investigate whether women present adequate knowledge of the main pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) (urinary incontinence - UI, fecal incontinence - FI, and pelvic organ prolapse - POP). Data sources A systematic review was performed in the MEDLINE, PEDro, CENTRAL, and Cochrane databases for publications from inception to April 2018. Selection of studies A total of 3,125 studies were reviewed. Meta-analysis was not possible due to the heterogeneity of primary outcomes and the diversity of instruments for measuring knowledge. The quality of the articles included in the analysis was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) adapted for cross-sectional studies. Data collection Two authors performed data extraction into a standardized spreadsheet. Data synthesis Nineteen studies were included, comprising 11,512 women. About the methodological quality (NOS), most of the studies (n= 11) presented a total score of 6 out of 10. Validated questionnaires and designed pilot-tested forms were the most frequently used ways of assessing knowledge. Some studies were stratified by race, age, or group minorities. The most used questionnaire was the prolapse and incontinence knowledge questionnaire (PIKQ) (n= 5). Knowledge and/or awareness regarding PFD was low to moderate among the studies. Urinary incontinence was the most prevalent PFD investigated, and the most important risk factors associated with the lack of knowledge of the pelvic floor were: African-American ethnicity (n= 3), low educational level (n= 4), low access to information (n= 5) and socioeconomic status (n= 3). Conclusion Most women have a gap in the knowledge of pelvic floor muscle dysfunctions, do not understand their treatment options, and are not able to identify risk factors for these disorders. Resumo Objetivos Nós investigamos se as mulheres possuem adequado nível de conhecimento sobre as principais disfunções do assoalho pélvico (incontinência urinária - IU, incontinência fecal - IF, e prolapso de órgãos pélvicos - POP). Fontes de dados Uma revisão sistemática foi realizada nas bases de dados MEDLINE, PEDro, CENTRAL e Cochrane com publicações até abril de 2018. Seleção dos estudos Foram triados 3.125 estudos. A metanálise não foi possível devido a heterogeneidade dos desfechos analisados e a diversidade de instrumentos para aferir o conhecimento. A qualidade dos artigos incluídos na análise foi avaliada pela escala de Newcastle-Ottawa (NOS) adaptada para estudos transversais. Extração de dados Dois autores fizeram a extração em uma planilha previamente testada. Síntese de dados Dezenove estudos foram incluídos, totalizando 11.512 mulheres. A NOS apresentou um score de 6 (total = 10) na maioria dos estudos (n = 11). Para a avaliação do conhecimento do assoalho pélvico, questionários validados e testados de forma piloto foram empregados. Alguns estudos foram estratificados segundo raça, idade, ou minorias. Encontrou-se baixo a moderado nível de conhecimento e/ou percepção sobre as disfunções do assoalho pélvico. O mais usado foi o prolapse and incontinence knowledge questionnaire (PIKQ) (n = 5). A IU foi a disfunção pélvica mais investigada, e os fatores de risco mais importantes associados com a falta de conhecimento foram: etnicidade afro-americana (n = 3), nível baixo educacional (n = 5), baixo acesso a informação (n = 5), e status socioeconômico (n = 3). Conclusão A maioria das mulheres leigas tem uma lacuna de conhecimento sobre as disfunções do assoalho pélvico, baixo conhecimento sobre opções de tratamento e sobre os fatores de risco para essas disfunções.