Pelvic Floor muscles (PFM) training

Has been demonstrated that the training of the PFM, it is the gold standard in the treatment of stress and mixed urinary incontinence.

Is true as well that not all women are able to efficiently activate the PFM.

Is the co-contraction an effective way to activate the PFM?

The activation of some hip muscle and abdominal muscles produce a co-activation of the PFM.

The question is, can we use them to indirectly train the PFM muscle in women that are not able to sufficiently activate the PFM?

Using the device FemFit, has been measured the abdominal pressure and the PFM contraction during curl up, drawing in of abs, hip abduction/adduction, hip external rotation.

The result has shown that only the curl up created a considerable contraction of the Pelvic Floor muscles(PFM).

What is the best way to train the Pelvic Floor muscles(PFM)in women that are not able to efficiently activate them?

The use of feedback and biofeedback are the best way to increase the awareness and increase the efficacy of contraction of the PFM.

The feedback utilises the aid of a health professional and the biofeedback uses a vaginal or anal device to measure the muscle squeeze pressure or the electrical activity in the muscle. The device gives this information back to the woman using the device as a sound (for example, the sound gets louder as the squeeze increases) or a visual display(for example change in colour mean a stronger contraction).

References: Kruger, J. et al (2018),Can you train the pelvic floor muscles by contracting other related muscles? Neurourology and Urodynamics.

doi:10.1002/nau.23890