Women with functional constipation have a worse ability to relax their pelvic floor muscle: A cross sectional study Viviane G. Miotto, Ana C. N. L. Fernades, Aura M. P. de la Ossa, Gabriela S. Bazanelli, Tatiana de B. Fretta, Nicole A. de Paula, Cristine Homsi Jorge Neurourology and Urodynamics, 2023 IntroductionFunctional intestinal constipation (FIC) has a high prevalence worldwide. It is higher in adult and elderly women, and in those with alterations in the pelvic floor muscle (PFM) structure and function.ObjectiveThe primary aim of this study was to characterize PFM function, including tone, of women with and without FIC. The secondary aim was to assess and compare the general and symptom‐related quality of life (QoL) between participants with and without FIC and its correlation with the assessed PFM function.MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional observational study, the outcomes were assessed using vaginal palpation, vaginal manometry and validated questionnaires: the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire Short Form 7 (PFIQ‐7), the Pelvic Floor Distress inventory (PFDI‐20), and the Short‐Form Health Survey (SF‐36). This study included 60 women, 30 with FIC and 30 without FIC. The mean age of women with FIC was 48.2 years (standard deviation [SD] 12.22) and 51 years (SD 13.47) for those without FIC. Both groups were overweight. There was a significant difference between groups in the bowel domain of the PFIQ‐7 (p = 0.016) and in the anal dysfunction domain of the PFDI‐20 (p < 0.001), being higher in those women with FIC. Women with FIC presented a significantly worse ability to voluntarily relax their PFM (38.3%) than those without FIC (11.7%; p = 0.008). participants without FIC presented higher values of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) assessed by vaginal manometry compared to participants without FIC (p = 0.008). PFM tone was not different between groups.ConclusionWomen with FIC have more difficulty in relaxing their PFM and lower MVC values than women without FIC. FIC negatively impacts women's symptom‐related QoL. The main contribution of this study was to reavel the difficulty of the participants with FIC to relax their PFM. This finding is important to guide clinical decision making for an adequate treatment program direct to women with FIC.
Conservative non-pharmacological interventions in women with pelvic floor dysfunction: a systematic review of qualitative studies Ana Carolina Nociti Lopes Fernandes, Domingo Palacios-Ceña, Caroline Caetano Pena, Thaiana Bezerra Duarte, Aura Maria Paternina de la Ossa, Cristine Homsi Jorge BMC Women S Health, 2022 Background Women’s adherence is essential to physiotherapeutic treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, but its related factors are not usually considered in the development of treatment approaches. This study aims to understand how women with pelvic floor dysfunction experience pelvic floor conservative non-pharmacological treatment options. Methods A systematic review of qualitative studies. The electronic search was performed in MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, Lilacs, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases. Primary articles on qualitative methods focused on the experience of women regarding pelvic floor conservative non-pharmacological interventions, i.e., pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), either associated or not with biofeedback, perineal massage, vaginal dilators, and others. A meta-aggregation was performed. Results It was included 22 manuscripts in this review. It was found seven studies about the use of vaginal devices, two about manual intervention and 14 studies on women’s experience with PFMT. The findings were synthesized as follows: I) women’s experience of manual interventions; II) women’s experience using vaginal devices changes according to health professional attitudes; III) women’s experiences using vaginal devices varied depending on their pelvic floor dysfunction; IV) reported side effects due to the use of vaginal devices; V) external factors influencing PFMT performance; VI) women’s perception of their own personal factors influencing PFMT performance; VII) PFMT characteristics influencing women’s adherence; VIII) strategies used by women to include PFMT in their routine. Conclusion Women’s experience with pelvic floor conservative non-pharmacological treatment options is a complex phenomenon that involves many more variables than simply personal aspects. This is a systematic review of qualitative studies registered in the PROSPERO (CRD42018080244).
Do women have an accurate perception of their pelvic floor muscle contraction? A cross-sectional study Natalia Uechi, Ana C. N. L. Fernandes, Kari Bø, Letícia M. de Freitas, Aura M. P. de la Ossa, Sabrina M. Bueno, Cristine H. J. Ferreira Neurourology and Urodynamics, 2020 AimsTo assess women's self‐perception of their pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contraction and its agreement with an assessed PFM contraction. Further, to assess a possible correlation between women's self‐perception and reports of urinary incontinence (UI) and between PFM contraction and severity of UI.MethodsA cross‐sectional observational study including 82 women. The study was conducted in a basic healthcare unit in Brazil. PFM contraction was assessed by a physiotherapist and estimated by women using the Modified Oxford Scale (MOS). UI symptoms were assessed using a validated questionnaire (ICIQ‐UI‐SF). A descriptive analysis of the data was performed. The weighted κ coefficient, Spearman's correlation coefficient, and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze data.ResultsEighty‐two women with a mean age of 46.83 (±17.94) were analyzed. The majority (98.8%) believed they were able to voluntarily contract their PFM, but only 33% correctly estimated their PFM considering the examiner assessment as reference. No agreement (κ = 0.139, P = .087) was found between the examiner's classification and the women's estimation of their PFM contraction. Women's self‐perception did not correlate with the ICIQ‐IU‐SF (r's = .011, P = .922). A moderate negative correlation was found between the assessed PFM contraction and the ICIQ‐UI‐SF score (r's = −.406, P = .00).ConclusionMost of the women did not show an accurate self‐perception of PFM contraction. No correlation between women's self‐perception and the ICIQ‐UI‐SF score was found, but a negative correlation was found between the assessed PFM contraction and the ICIQ‐UI‐SF score.
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Intra-rater reliability of vaginal palpation, vaginal manometry and dynamometry in assessing pelvic floor muscle contraction and discomfort between these methods ND Aleixo, CC Pena, LM de Freitas, JQ da Silva, AMP de la Ossa, ... Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies , 2025 2025
Do patients undergoing physical therapy in a rehabilitation center have a high prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction and psychological disorders? A cross–sectional study AMP De La Ossa, CC Catai, S Lopes, CC Pena, NA De Paula, ... Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy 27 (4), 100536 , 2023 2023 Citations: 8
Women with functional constipation have a worse ability to relax their pelvic floor muscle: A cross sectional study VG Miotto, ACNL Fernades, AMP de la Ossa, GS Bazanelli, TB Fretta, ... Neurourology and Urodynamics 42 (1), 123-132 , 2023 2023 Citations: 4
Conservative non-pharmacological interventions in women with pelvic floor dysfunction: a systematic review of qualitative studies ACNL Fernandes, D Palacios-Ceña, CC Pena, TB Duarte, ... BMC Women's Health 22 (1), 515 , 2022 2022 Citations: 14
Are visual inspection and digital palpation reliable methods to assess ability to perform a pelvic floor muscle contraction? An intra‐rater study CC Pena, K Bø, AMP de la Ossa, ACNL Fernandes, DN Aleixo, ... Neurourology and Urodynamics 40 (2), 680-687 , 2021 2021 Citations: 13
Do women have an accurate perception of their pelvic floor muscle contraction? A cross‐sectional study N Uechi, ACNL Fernandes, K Bø, LM de Freitas, AMP de la Ossa, ... Neurourology and urodynamics 39 (1), 361-366 , 2020 2020 Citations: 37
Estilo de vida y calidad de vida en pacientes con sindrome metabólico y diabetes tipo 2 YA Granados-Vidal, SJ Jácome-Velasco, A Paternina-De la Ossa, ... Duazary 16 (3), 25-39 , 2019 2019 Citations: 3
Lifestyle and quality of life in patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes YA Granados-Vidal, SJ Jácome-Velasco, A Paternina-De la Ossa, ... Duazary 16 (3), 25-39 , 2019 2019 Citations: 7
Actividad física en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 y relación con características sociodemográficas, clínicas y antropométricas Physical activity in patients with type … A Paternina-de la Ossa, A Villaquirán-Hurtado, S Jácome-Velasco, ... 2018 Citations: 1
Physical activity in patients with type 2 diabetes and its relationship with sociodemographic, clinical and anthropometric characteristics AP Ossa, A Villaquirán-Hurtado, S Jácome-Velasco, B Galvis-Fernández, ... Universidad y Salud 20 (1), 72-81 , 2018 2018 Citations: 2
Actividad física en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 y relación con características sociodemográficas, clínicas y antropométricas AP Ossa, A Villaquirán-Hurtado, S Jácome-Velasco, B Galvis-Fernández, ... Universidad y salud 20 (1), 72-81 , 2018 2018 Citations: 67
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Actividad física en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 y relación con características sociodemográficas, clínicas y antropométricas AP Ossa, A Villaquirán-Hurtado, S Jácome-Velasco, B Galvis-Fernández, ... Universidad y salud 20 (1), 72-81 , 2018 2018 Citations: 67
Do women have an accurate perception of their pelvic floor muscle contraction? A cross‐sectional study N Uechi, ACNL Fernandes, K Bø, LM de Freitas, AMP de la Ossa, ... Neurourology and urodynamics 39 (1), 361-366 , 2020 2020 Citations: 37
Conservative non-pharmacological interventions in women with pelvic floor dysfunction: a systematic review of qualitative studies ACNL Fernandes, D Palacios-Ceña, CC Pena, TB Duarte, ... BMC Women's Health 22 (1), 515 , 2022 2022 Citations: 14
Are visual inspection and digital palpation reliable methods to assess ability to perform a pelvic floor muscle contraction? An intra‐rater study CC Pena, K Bø, AMP de la Ossa, ACNL Fernandes, DN Aleixo, ... Neurourology and Urodynamics 40 (2), 680-687 , 2021 2021 Citations: 13
Do patients undergoing physical therapy in a rehabilitation center have a high prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction and psychological disorders? A cross–sectional study AMP De La Ossa, CC Catai, S Lopes, CC Pena, NA De Paula, ... Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy 27 (4), 100536 , 2023 2023 Citations: 8
Lifestyle and quality of life in patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes YA Granados-Vidal, SJ Jácome-Velasco, A Paternina-De la Ossa, ... Duazary 16 (3), 25-39 , 2019 2019 Citations: 7
Women with functional constipation have a worse ability to relax their pelvic floor muscle: A cross sectional study VG Miotto, ACNL Fernades, AMP de la Ossa, GS Bazanelli, TB Fretta, ... Neurourology and Urodynamics 42 (1), 123-132 , 2023 2023 Citations: 4
Estilo de vida y calidad de vida en pacientes con sindrome metabólico y diabetes tipo 2 YA Granados-Vidal, SJ Jácome-Velasco, A Paternina-De la Ossa, ... Duazary 16 (3), 25-39 , 2019 2019 Citations: 3
Physical activity in patients with type 2 diabetes and its relationship with sociodemographic, clinical and anthropometric characteristics AP Ossa, A Villaquirán-Hurtado, S Jácome-Velasco, B Galvis-Fernández, ... Universidad y Salud 20 (1), 72-81 , 2018 2018 Citations: 2
Actividad física en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 y relación con características sociodemográficas, clínicas y antropométricas Physical activity in patients with type … A Paternina-de la Ossa, A Villaquirán-Hurtado, S Jácome-Velasco, ... 2018 Citations: 1
Intra-rater reliability of vaginal palpation, vaginal manometry and dynamometry in assessing pelvic floor muscle contraction and discomfort between these methods ND Aleixo, CC Pena, LM de Freitas, JQ da Silva, AMP de la Ossa, ... Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies , 2025 2025
