Table 2.
Pelvic floor muscle function (PFM) in women versus age in 10-year age groups expressed in percentages (individual PFM items with yes/no scores or three category scores)
| Overall (n = 649) | 45–55 (n = 292) | 56–65 (n = 217) | 66–75 (n = 100) | 76–85 (n = 39) | p value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual inspection | |||||||
| Co-contraction visible | Yes | 34.6 | 28 | 34.6 | 39 | 71.8 | < .001 |
| No | 65.4 | 72 | 65.4 | 61 | 28.2 | ||
| Palpation during voluntary muscle contraction | |||||||
| Urethral lift | Yes | 62.4 | 70.8 | 58.1 | 61.2 | 28.2 | < .001 |
| No | 37.6 | 29.2 | 41.9 | 38.8 | 71.8 | ||
| Inward movement perineum | Yes | 77.0 | 82.2 | 75.3 | 74.7 | 48.7 | < .001 |
| No | 22.5 | 17.4 | 23.3 | 25.3 | 48.7 | ||
| Downward | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 0 | 2.6 | ||
| Levator closure | Yes | 61.9 | 69.6 | 58.8 | 61.6 | 21.6 | < .001 |
| No | 38.1 | 30.4 | 41.2 | 38.4 | 78.4 | ||
| Voluntary relaxation | Good | 51.3 | 56.1 | 45.8 | 51.1 | 47.4 | .111 |
| Delayed | 28.5 | 26.6 | 31.5 | 27.2 | 28.9 | ||
| Incomplete | 20.2 | 17.3 | 22.7 | 21.7 | 23.7 | ||
| Voluntary contraction | Absent | 5.2 | 5.1 | 5.5 | 5 | 5.1 | < .001 |
| Weak | 31.6 | 21.2 | 37.3 | 41 | 53.8 | ||
| Normal | 58.2 | 66.4 | 53.9 | 50 | 41 | ||
| Strong | 4.9 | 7.2 | 3.2 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Endurance mean in seconds | 0–10 s | 6.24 | 6.83 | 5.93 | 5.84 | 4.56 | < .001 |
| Palpation during involuntary muscle contraction during coughing | |||||||
| Downward movement perineum | Yes (ineff. IMC) | 51.5 | 61 | 46.3 | 34 | 53.8 | < .001 |
| No downward movement perineum | No (eff. IMC) | 48.5 | 39 | 53.7 | 66 | 46.2 | |
| Palpation during involuntary muscle relaxation during straining | |||||||
| Caudal perineal movement | Yes | 89.9 | 93 | 90.3 | 84.7 | 76.9 | < .001 |
| No caudal perineal movement | No | 10.2 | 7 | 9.7 | 15.3 | 23 | |