Pelvic floor muscle function in women presenting with pelvic floor disorders

Introduction and hypothesis  This observational study was undertaken to determine knowledge, prior instruction, frequency of performance, and ability to perform pelvic floor muscle exercises in a group of women presenting for evaluation of pelvic floor disorders. Methods  Three hundred twenty-five women presenting for evaluation of pelvic floor disorders were questioned concerning knowledge and performance of pelvic floor muscle exercises (PMEs) and then examined to determine pelvic floor muscle contraction strength. Results  The majority of women (73%) had heard of PMEs, but only 42% had been instructed to perform them and 62.5% stated they received verbal instruction only. Only 23.4% of patients could perform pelvic muscle contractions with Oxford Scale 3, 4, or 5 strengths. Increased age, parity, and stage of prolapse were associated with lower Oxford scores. Conclusions  Although most women with pelvic floor disorders are familiar with PMEs, less than one fourth could perform adequate contractions at the time of initial evaluation.