title: Bioelectrical activity of the pelvic floor muscles after 6-week biofeedback training in nulliparous continent women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a 6-week sEMG-biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle training program on pelvic floor muscle activity in young continent women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pelvic floor muscle activity was recorded using a vaginal probe during five experimental trials. Biofeedback training was continued for 6 weeks, 3 times a week. Muscle strenghtening and endurance exercises were performed alternately. SEMG (surface electromyography) measurements were recorded on four different occasions: before training started, after the third week of training, after the sixth week of training, and one month after training ended.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 6-week sEMG-biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle training program significantly decreased the resting activity of the pelvic floor muscles in supine lying and standing. The ability to relax the pelvic floor muscles after a sustained 60-second contraction improved significantly after the 6-week training in both positions. SEMG-biofeedback training program did not seem to affect the activity of the pelvic floor muscles or muscle fatigue during voluntary pelvic floor muscle contractions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SEMG-biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle training might be recommended for physiotherapists to improve the effectiveness of their relaxation techniques.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physiotherapy, Department of Physiotherapy Basics, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chmielewska
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physiotherapy, Department of Physiotherapy Basics, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stania
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physiotherapy, Department of Physiotherapy Basics, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smykla
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physiotherapy, Department of Physiotherapy Basics, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kwaśna
authors.affiliation: Department and Faculty of Medical Biophysics, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Błaszczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Motor Behavior, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sobota
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's Health, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Skrzypulec-Plinta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D004576:Electromyography; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009126:Muscle Relaxation; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D010298:Parity; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012146:Rest; D016683:Supine Position; D055815:Young Adult