The effect of a post-partum exercise on perineal musculature

An exploratory study was done to examine the effect of postpartum exercise on pelvic floor musculature. Twelve subjects who were four to fifteen weeks postpartum were tested with the Kegel perineometer once a week for three weeks. A vaginal examination was done at the beginning and at the study. A research assistant randomly assigned the subject to one of three groups: four subjects did no exercise; four subjects did 90 exercises each day; and four subjects did 90 exercises each day against the resistance of the vaginal chamber of the Kegal perineometer. Analysis of the data obtained on the initial visit indicated that only two variables were significantly related to the ability of the subject to contract the pubococcygeus muscle as measure by the Kegel perineometer: sagging of the perineum (p = .01); and weight of the subject (p = .02). Both of these variables were related to lower manometer scores. In regard to the mean manometer scores for the raw data, it was noted that the increase in mean manometer readings for Group II (exercise only) was almost twice that of Group I (no exercise). The increase in scores for Group III (exercise with perineometer) was more that twice that for Group II. In groups I and II, the width of pubococcygeus muscle remained the same for three subjects in each group, and decreased for one subject in each group. In group II the width of the pubococcygeus remained the same for one subject, and increased for three subjects. Thus, examination of the raw data suggested that those subjects exercising daily with the perineometer demonstrated the greatest improvement in width of pubococcygeus muscle, and ability to contract this muscle as measure by the perineometer.