Do young women have an accurate perception about their pelvic floor muscle contraction? An agreement study about self-perception and physical evaluation of the pelvic muscles contraction by the PERFECT scheme

Background

Many women have difficulty in activating the pelvic floor muscles (PFM). This is a concerning factor for health professionals and public government institutions, as an unhealthy PFM could be associated with the presence of PFM dysfunctions. Therefore, the aim of the study was to analyze the agreement between the perception of young women about their PFM contraction and the results of a physical assessment, according to the strength, endurance, and contraction repetitions.

Method

Cross-sectional study with 43 university students between 18 and 35 years old. Examiner A filled out a semi-structured questionnaire to assess the self-perception about the ability to contract the PFM. The physical exam was performed by bidigital vaginal palpation, conducted by Examiner B, blinded to the answers of the previous stage, and according to the PERFECT scheme (P = power; E = endurance; R = repetitions of item “E; ” F = fast contractions). Data was assessed by the Cohenʼs linear weighted kappa (K_w).

Results

The agreement between the self-perception and the physical evaluation of the PFM function presented a very poor agreement for all the items of the PERFECT scheme (P_(Kw) = 0.12; E_(Kw) = 0.07; R_(Kw) = 0.09; F_(Kw) = 0.04).

Conclusion

Young women do not have sufficient knowledge about PFM contraction and function. It should concern health government and institutions, as a poor PFM awareness might increase the difficulty to identify signs and symptoms related to PFM dysfunctions and reduces demand for and adherence to PFM treatment programs.