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Surface electromyography of pelvic floor muscles in healthy children. Methodological study
Insights
This study demonstrates a reliable method for measuring pelvic floor muscle activity in children using surface electromyography. This technique can help assess muscle exercises for children experiencing voiding disorders.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric urology
- Biomedical engineering
- Physiology
Background:
- Assessing pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function in children is crucial for managing voiding disorders.
- Current methods may lack precision or be difficult to implement in pediatric populations.
- Surface electromyography (sEMG) offers a potential non-invasive approach.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and reliability of using sEMG to record PFM activity in healthy children.
- To determine if sEMG can differentiate PFM activity from adjacent muscle groups.
- To establish a method for assessing PFM exercises in pediatric voiding dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Surface electromyography (sEMG) was employed in ten healthy children (aged 6-10 years).
- Electrodes were placed on the perineum (anal and urethral regions) and adjacent muscles (hip, abdomen).
- Children performed ten standardized maneuvers while muscle activity was recorded using a polygraph writer.
Main Results:
- The sEMG method successfully recorded PFM activity with minimal interference from adjacent muscles.
- Selective recording between anal and urogenital regions was sometimes achievable.
- The procedure required careful electrode application, child instruction, and acclimatization.
Conclusions:
- Surface electromyography provides a viable method for measuring PFM activity in children.
- The technique shows promise for assessing the effectiveness of PFM exercises in children with voiding disorders.
- Utilizing both anal and urethral electrodes is recommended for comprehensive functional assessment.
Abstract:
Pelvic floor muscle activity was recorded in ten healthy children, aged six to ten years, by using surface electromyography and a polygraph writer. The electromyograms were recorded simultaneously from four electrode pairs on the perineum and three electrode pairs on adjacent muscle groups, i.e. hip and abdominis muscles. The children performed ten different manoeuvres. Necessary prerequisites for this investigatory method include good electrode application, adequate instruction of the child and the child's adjustment to the method. Using the described procedure, it was possible to record pelvic floor muscle activity without any appreciably detectable electrical influence from adjacent muscles. The method sometimes allows selective recording of electromyographic activity between the ventral urogenital and the dorsal anal regions. Therefore both anal and urethral electrode pairs should be used to achieve functional information about the pelvic floor muscles. The envisaged method should be useful as a tool for assessment of pelvic floor muscle exercises in children with voiding disorders.