Effects of pelvic floor muscle and transversus abdominis muscle training for young women

Abstract

[Purpose] This study investigated the effects of pelvic floor muscle and transversus abdominis muscle training on pelvic floor and transversus abdominis muscles' function. [Subjects] The subjects were 31 healthy young women. [Methods] The subjects were divided into 3 groups: a pelvic floor muscle training group, a transversus abdominis muscle training group, and a control group. The functions of the pelvic floor muscles (amount of the bladder neck movement) and the transversus abdominis muscle (increases in muscle thickness) were measured using B-mode ultrasound. [Results] After the intervention, changes in the bladder neck movement in the supine position were significantly greater in the two training groups than in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two training groups in the changes in the bladder neck movement. [Conclusion] Our results suggest that both pelvic floor muscle training and transversus abdominis muscle training are effective at improving the pelvic floor muscle function of young women.