Can women correctly contract their pelvic floor muscles without formal instruction?

Objectives: It is unknown how many women presenting for primary care can appropriately contract their pelvic floor muscle (PFM) or whether this ability differs between women with or without pelvic floor disorders. We sought to describe the proportion of women who initially incorrectly contract the PFM and how many can learn after basic instruction.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 779 women presenting to community-based primary care practices.