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Published on: April 17, 2019
Effects of the Paula method in electromyographic activation of the pelvic floor: a comparative study
Ana Paula M Resende1, Míriam R D Zanetti, Carla D Petricelli
1Obstetrics Department, Federal University of São Paulo, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 875, São Paulo, São Paulo, 04024-002, Brazil. anapaulamrb@gmail.com
Introduction And Hypothesis:
To determine if Paula method of circular muscles contraction e.g., those surrounding the eyes, mouth and fingers, could increase pelvic floor muscle (PFM) activity.
Methods:
Thirty-four healthy, nulliparous volunteers were included, with an average age of 28 (± 5.9) years and body mass index of 23.8 (± 3.3) kg/m(2). They were assigned to randomly perform the sequence: a PFM maximal voluntary contraction, a contraction of circular muscles, followed by a simultaneous combination of PFM and circular muscle contraction. The PFM were evaluated using surface electromyography.
Results:
PFM activity at baseline was 22.6 (± 10.9) μv. It was unchanged with Paula method contraction (p=0.322). There were also no differences between values of PFM maximal voluntary contraction alone, 99.8 (± 44.3) μv and in combination with the Paula method, 91.8 (± 35.3) μv (p=0.093).
Conclusions:
The Paula method seems not to increase PFM activity in nulliparous women.
