The role of body mass index and age on pelvic floor muscle strength

Background Pelvic floor is important in bladder and bowel control, supporting pelvic and abdominal organs, and also plays role in sexual response. Pelvic floor is made up of muscle bundles which cover the pelvic nethermost surface, acting as the base of the pelvic bowl. Pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength can be decreased by several factors, such as Body Mass Index (BMI) and advanced age, yet there are still conflicting results regarding their correlation. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether age and BMI are correlated with the strength of PFM and to describe the percentage of PFM strength classification of healthy women in Yogyakarta, Indonesia according to the Angelo scale. Methods This is a cross-sectional prospective observational study of 38 healthy women aged between 21 and 47 years-old. The pelvic floor muscles strength measurement was performed using perineometer. The measured PFM value was obtained from 3 maximal isometric contractions for 4 seconds period and were assessed using scale of manometry by Angelo. Body mass index were classified according to World Health Organization (WHO) and age was assessed by the demographic data of the subjects. Statistical analysis was completed with statistical software. Results This study included 32 subjects in total. Median age was 39.50 years old. The mean BMI was 25.45 (±4.74, CI 23.75-27.16) kg/m2, the median of sexual intercourse frequency was 2 (±2, CI 1.57-2.61), and the mean perineometry score was 22.80 (±9.76; CI 18.76-25.0) cmH2O. According to Angelo scale, majority subjects had a weak PFM strength. There was no correlation found between PFM strength and age or BMI (p>0.05). Conclusion Majority subjects of this study had a weak PFM strength according to Angelo scale. There was no significant correlation found between PFM strength in women and age or BMI. © 2023 Pakistan Association of Dermatologists. All rights reserved.