title: Is there correlation between electromyography and digital palpation as means of measuring pelvic floor muscle contractility in nulliparous, pregnant, and postpartum women?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The continence mechanisms depend on the integrity of the pelvic floor muscles. It is therefore important to find simple, reliable, and safe methods to assess its contractility in a clinical setting. This study aims to investigate if digital palpation of the pelvic floor muscles presents correlation with its electromyographic activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 307 women with mean age of 23.93 years, including 39 nulliparous, 117 primigravid pregnant, 64 primiparous, in post-vaginal delivery, and 87 primiparous women, in post-cesarean section delivery. The assessment consisted of both digital palpation and surface electromyography. One, and the same, highly skilled and experienced physiotherapist, who was able to classify the different grades of contractility accurately, performed digital palpation using the Modified Oxford Grading Scale. Surface electromyography was performed using an intravaginal probe. For electromyography evaluation, three contractions of 5 sec each were recorded, and an average of three Root Mean squares was considered for analysis. Spearman's Coefficient, Jonckheere-Terpstra Test, Kruskal-Wallis as well as Dunn Test were used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The strong correlation found between the two methods (P < 0.001) indicates that both digital palpation and electromyography can be used in everyday practice, both for clinical use and scientific research, although both have their specific limitations and requirements to avoid the risk of biases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a correlation between pelvic floor muscle contractility measured by surface electromyography and by digital palpation. Both methods can be used to validate data in research and clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. simone.botelho@unifal-mg.edu.br
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Botelho
authors.forename: Larissa Carvalho
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Joseane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Ana Helena
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Lanza
authors.forename: Cesar Ferreira
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Amorim
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: Cassio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Riccetto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D010173:Palpation; D010298:Parity; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult