Voluntary Control Over Pelvic Floor Muscles in Women With and Without Vaginistic Reactions

The ability to voluntarily contract and relax the pelvic floor muscles may differentiate between women with and without vaginistic reactions. This was investigated using intravaginal surface electromyographic (EMG) recordings of the pelvic floor muscles and EMG measurements of the surrounding muscle groups, during muscle exercises. Sixty-seven physician- or self-referred women with vaginismus and 43 control subjects participated. They performed six short flick contractions and three 10-second holding contractions. No difference in baseline was found between groups, indicating a comparable level of relaxation. There was no difference between groups in the performance of the exercises. As the women with vaginistic reactions do not have less voluntary control, treatment should not be based solely on an increase in control.