Do Dynamometric Variables of the Pelvic Floor Muscles Differ between Women with and without Stress Urinary Incontinence? A Blind, Cross-sectional Study

Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare pelvic floor muscles (PFM) contraction variables between women with and without stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated the PFM of 17 healthy women and 17 women with SUI during a single test session using a vaginal dynamometer. Outcomes: peak time (time at which peak force occurred after the onset of contraction), passive force (baseline), maximum contraction force, impulse of contraction, average force and endurance time. Dada was recording during a single test session using a vaginal dynamometer.

Results: The following PFM contraction variables were evaluated: Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with the Bonferroni post hoc test was used to compare the dynamometric data between groups (control and SUI), considering age and number of childbirths as co-variables. Significant difference was observed between groups with regard to endurance (F = 4.87, P < .03; ANCOVA test), whereas no significant differences were found for the other variables analyzed.

Conclusion: The endurance time of PFM contraction is shorter in women with SUI, whereas variables related to the intensity of pelvic floor muscle contraction force and time from the onset to peak contraction of these muscles are similar between women with and without stress urinary incontinence.