Pelvic Floor Muscle Tenderness in Asymptomatic, Nulliparous Women: Topographical Distribution and Reliability of a Visual Analogue Scale

Overview

Journal Int Urogynecol J

Publisher Springer

Specialties Gynecology & Obstetrics
Urology

Date 2012 Jun 19

PMID 22707005

Citations 7

Authors

Tilemachos Kavvadias

Stefanie Pelikan

Petra Roth

Kaven Baessler

Bernhard Schuessler

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction And Hypothesis: Aim of this study is to investigate pelvic floor muscle pain scores in a group of healthy, asymptomatic, nulliparous women using a simple visual analogue scale, and to examine the inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the digital palpation of the pelvic floor muscle.

Methods: Seventeen female volunteers were recruited. Different sites of their pelvic floor muscle were examined digitally according to the suggestions of the International Continence Society from two investigators blinded to the clinical data in two consecutive visits and pain scores were obtained. Level of agreement between investigators, inter-rater and intra-rater reliability were assessed.

Results: Overall pain scores were low. There were statistically significant differences between scores at different pelvic sites, with the levator ani showing the lowest scores. Reliability was heterogeneous among pelvic sites, varying from poor to excellent.

Conclusions: Pain upon palpation of the pelvic floor muscle in asymptomatic, nulliparous women should be considered an uncommon finding.

Citing Articles

Changes in Pelvic Floor Ultrasonographic Features after Flat Magnetic Stimulation in Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain and Levator Ani Muscle Hypertonicity.

Barba M, Cola A, De Vicari D, Costa C, La Greca G, Vigna A Medicina (Kaunas). 2024; 60(3).

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Pelvic Pain of Myofascial Origin in Women: Correlation with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.

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Women's sexual health improvement: sexual quality of life and pelvic floor muscle assessment in asymptomatic women.

Baszak-Radomanska E, Wanczyk-Baszak J, Paszkowski T Front Med (Lausanne). 2024; 11:1289418.

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A systematic review of diagnostic tests to detect pelvic floor myofascial pain.

Kapurubandara S, Lowes B, Sansom-Daly U, Deans R, Abbott J Int Urogynecol J. 2022; 33(9):2379-2389.

PMID: 35796787 PMC: 9427874. DOI: 10.1007/s00192-022-05258-7.

Physical examination techniques for the assessment of pelvic floor myofascial pain: a systematic review.

Meister M, Shivakumar N, Sutcliffe S, Spitznagle T, Lowder J Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018; 219(5):497.e1-497.e13.

PMID: 29959930 PMC: 6239942. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2018.06.014.

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