Reproducibility of vaginal palpation in the differentiation of voluntary contraction of pelvic floor muscles and correlation with manometry and dynamometry

• Grant number: 19/20382-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2020
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Cristine Homsi Jorge
• Grantee: Joelma Queiroz da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Pelvic floor muscles (MAP) form the base of the pelvis and abdominal cavity and act to support the pelvic organs, sphincter function (urinary and anorectal tract), sexual function and lumboscopic pelvic stabilization. Adequate assessment of function, strength and integrity is of great importance in the diagnosis and treatment of dysfunctions. Among the MAP evaluation techniques, we found digital palpation, manometry and dynamometry. This study aims to verify the intra-examiner reproducibility of vaginal palpation and dynamometry in the measurement of muscle function in women with and without PF dysfunction; and secondary, to compare the results of vaginal palpation, manometry and dynamometry in the differentiation of the capacity of contraction of the MAP, using the vaginal palpation as reference, besides comparing the level of discomfort generated by the three methods of evaluation. This is a clinical retest test. Participants will be evaluated by vaginal palpation, manometry and dynamometry, in a randomized order. Three maximum contractions of the MAP will be requested for each evaluation method, where the highest value of each method will be considered. The data analysis will be descriptive, where the intra-examiner reproducibility will be calculated for the maximum voluntary contraction (considering the highest value of the three maximum voluntary contractions for each of the evaluation methods). Reproducibility will be analyzed using the Kappa value and the standard error (SE) for the vaginal palpation test and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for vaginal resting and contraction pressures (contraction maximum voluntary and endurance).