Transabdominal ultrasound measurement of pelvic floor muscle mobility in men with and without chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the pelvic floor muscle motion in men with and without chronic prostatitic/chronic pelvic pain syndrome using transabdominal ultrasound. No study has directly evaluated pelvic floor muscle mobility in individuals with and without chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 40 males participated in the study. Subjects were categorized into 2 groups: those with chronic pelvic pain syndrome (n = 20) and those without chronic pelvic pain syndrome (n = 20). The amount of bladder base movement on ultrasound (normalized to body mass index) was measured in all subjects and considered as an indicator of pelvic floor muscle mobility.

RESULTS

Statistical analysis (independent t-test) revealed significant difference in transabdominal ultrasound measurements for pelvic floor muscle function between the 2 groups (P = .03, 95% CI -0.26 to -0.01).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that pelvic floor muscle mobility differs in the 2 groups.