Perioperative pelvic floor muscle training did not improve outcomes in women undergoing pelvic organ prolapse surgery: a randomised trial.

Question: In women undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP), what is the average effect of the addition of perioperative pelvic floor muscle training on pelvic organ prolapse symptoms, pelvic floor muscle strength, quality of life, sexual function and perceived improvement after surgery?

Design: Randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation, blinded assessors, and intention-to-treat analysis.

Participants: Ninety-six women with an indication for POP surgery.

Intervention: The experimental group received a 9-week pelvic floor muscle training protocol with four sessions before the surgery and seven sessions after the surgery.

The Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) in a systematic review of exercise-based rehabilitation effectiveness: completeness of reporting, rater agreement, and utility.

Background: Rehabilitation interventions are diverse - making decisions about pooling data in meta-analyses challenging. Intervention reporting templates such as the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) may help reviewers document intervention variability.

Aim: To assess inter-rater agreement and utility of CERT used to assess completeness of reporting of one rehabilitation exercise intervention: pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT).

Inter-rater reliability study of the Peritron™ perineometer in pregnant women.

Objective: To assess the inter-rater reliability of two raters for the mean and single maximal value of three vaginal maximum voluntary contractions (MVCs) using the Peritron™ perineometer for study participants in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy.

Participants: Thirty-six low-risk pregnant women.

Methods: The assessments were done by two different examiners with an interval of 2 to 7 days.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) reduces pain and postpones the need for pharmacological analgesia during labour: a randomised trial.

Questions: In the active phase of the first stage of labour, does transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) relieve pain or change its location? Does TENS delay the request for neuraxial analgesia during labour? Does TENS produce any harmful effects in the mother or the foetus? Are women in labour satisfied with the care provided?

Design: Randomised trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding for some outcomes, and intention-to-treat analysis.

Participants: Forty-six low-risk, primigravida parturients with a gestational age > 37 weeks, cervical dilation of 4cm, and without the use of any medications from hospital admission until randomisation.

Intervention: The principal investigator applied TENS to the experimental group for 30minutes starting at the beginning of the active phase of labour.

Surface electromyography and ultrasound evaluation of pelvic floor muscles in hyperandrogenic women.

Introduction: High levels of androgens increase muscle mass. Due to the characteristics of hyperandrogenism in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), it is plausible that women with PCOS may have increased pelvic floor muscle (PFM) thickness and neuromuscular activity levels compared with controls. The aim of this study was to assess PFM thickness and neuromuscular activity among hyperandrogenic women with PCOS and controls.

Assessment of foetal wellbeing in pregnant women subjected to pelvic floor muscle training: a controlled randomised study.

Introduction And Hypothesis: The objective was to assess foetal wellbeing in pregnant women subjected to pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) by evaluating the acute and chronic effects of the procedure using the Doppler method.

Methods: Ninety-six primigravidae with singleton pregnancies and at a low risk of pregnancy complications were randomised to either intervention with PFMT or no intervention. The final analysis included 26 women in the intervention group and 33 in the control group.

Does pelvic floor muscle training improve female sexual function? A systematic review.

Introduction And Hypothesis: We performed a review of the literature reporting on the effects of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) on female sexual function (SF).

Methods: Pubmed (from 1946 to December 2014), Ovid Medline (from 1946 to December 2014), CINAHL (from 1937 to December 2014), PsycINFO (from 1805 to December 2014), Scopus and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched by two independent reviewers. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the impact of PFMT on women's SF published in English were included.

Antepartum use of Epi-No birth trainer for preventing perineal trauma: systematic review.

Introduction And Hypothesis: In this systematic review we aimed to assess if the Epi-No birth trainer used during antepartum could prevent perineal trauma in nulliparous women.

Methods: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scielo, and Conference abstracts, looking for randomized controlled studies (RCT). High heterogeneity (i(2) > 50 %) was corrected with random models.

Physical therapy in the management of pelvic floor muscles hypertonia in a woman with hereditary spastic paraplegia.

Background. Pelvic floor (PF) hypertonic disorders are a group of conditions that present with muscular hypertonia or spasticity, resulting in a diminished capacity to isolate, contract, and relax the PF. Their presentation includes voiding and sexual dysfunctions, pelvic pain, and constipation.

Maternal blood pressure and heart rate response to pelvic floor muscle training during pregnancy.

Objectives: To assess whether maternal blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) change significantly in response to pelvic floor muscle training during pregnancy.

Design: Longitudinal exploratory study with repeated measurements.

Sample: Twenty-seven nulliparous healthy women of mean age 23.

Pelvic floor muscle strength and urinary incontinence in hyperandrogenic women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Hyperandrogenism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) could increase muscle mass and thereby pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength, reducing the risk of urinary incontinence (UI). The aim of the present study was to assess PFM strength and UI among hyperandrogenic women with PCOS and a control group for comparison.

Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional, case-control study.

Assessment of female sexual function in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Introduction: Female sexual dysfunction is a frequent problem that may be caused by several factors, such as pregnancy and diabetes, and that can affect the woman's quality of life.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the sexual function of pregnant women with gestational diabetes.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional clinical study involving 88 women, among which 33 were pregnant with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and 55 were with low-risk pregnancy (LRP).

High-frequency TENS in post-episiotomy pain relief in primiparous puerpere: a randomized, controlled trial.

Aim: We evaluated the effectiveness of high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) as a pain relief resource for primiparous puerpere who had experienced natural childbirth with an episiotomy.

Methods: A controlled, randomized clinical study was conducted in a Brazilian maternity ward. Forty puerpere were randomly divided into two groups: TENS high frequency and a no treatment control group.

Do muscle strengthening exercises improve performance in the 6-minute walk test in postmenopausal women?

Background: Walking speed seems to be related to aerobic capacity, lower limb strength, and functional mobility, however it is not clear whether there is a direct relationship between improvement in muscle strength and gait performance in early postmenopausal women.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of muscle strengthening exercises on the performance of the 6-minute walk test in women within 5 years of menopause.

Methods: The women were randomized into control group (n=31), which performed no exercise, and exercise group (n=27), which performed muscle strengthening exercises.

Assessment of symptoms of urinary incontinence in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objectives: The pelvic floor muscles are sensitive to androgens, and due to hyperandrogenism, women with polycystic ovary syndrome can have increased mass in these muscles compared to controls. The aim of this study is to compare reports of urine leakage and quality of life between women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome.

Methods: One hundred thirteen 18-to 40-year-old nulliparous women with polycystic ovary syndrome or without the disease (controls) were recruited at the University Hospital of School Medicine of São Paulo University at Ribeirão Preto City, Brazil.

Is the sexual satisfaction of postmenopausal women enhanced by physical exercise and pelvic floor muscle training?

Introduction: Physical exercise including pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training seems to improve the sexual function of women with urinary incontinence. This effect in postmenopausal women who are continent has not yet been determined.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a 3-month physical exercise protocol (PEP) on the sexual function and mood of postmenopausal women.

Biofeedback and the electromyographic activity of pelvic floor muscles in pregnant women.

Background: Maintaining continence is among the functions of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) and their dysfunction can cause urinary incontinence (UI), which is a common occurrence during pregnancy and the puerperal period. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), therefore, is important during pregnancy, although most women perform the muscle contractions unsatisfactorily.

Objectives: This study is an exploratory analysis of the results of three electromyographic (EMG) activity biofeedback sessions in pregnant women.

Effect of pelvic floor muscle training on labour and newborn outcomes: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The use of the pelvic floor muscle training for urinary incontinence treatment is well established but little is known about its effects in labor and newborn outcomes.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of antenatal pelvic floor muscle training and strength in labor and newborn outcomes in low-income pregnant women.

Methods: This is a randomized controlled trial that recruited forty-two nulliparous healthy pregnant women aged between 18-36 years old and able to contract the pelvic floor muscles.

Inter-rater reliability study of the modified Oxford Grading Scale and the Peritron manometer.

Objective: To evaluate the inter-rater reliability of the modified Oxford Grading Scale and the Peritron manometer.

Design: All participants were evaluated twice, first by one examiner and 30 days later by a second examiner. Measurements of vaginal squeeze pressure were compared with the results from the palpation test.

Evaluation of sexual function in Brazilian pregnant women.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the sexual function of pregnant women and to identify the potential variables associated with it. The study was conducted on 137 low-risk, sexually active pregnant women who filled out the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. Although 61% of the women assessed presented an FSFI score ≤26.

Physiotherapy treatments for breast cancer-related lymphedema: a literature review.

Breast cancer is the second most frequent cancer among women. Surgery is part of the therapeutic process to prevent metastases, but it can also cause some complications, including lymphedema. Physiotherapy contributes to its treatment, using different techniques that have been developed over the years.

Comparison between measurements obtained with three different perineometers.

Objective: To analyze the results obtained in the evaluation of intra-vaginal pressure using three different brands of perineometers in nulliparous volunteers.

Materials And Methods: Twenty nulliparous women with no anatomical alterations and/or dysfunction of the pelvic floor were enrolled in our study. All the women had the ability to voluntarily contract their PFM (Pelvic Floor Muscles), as assessed by digital palpation.