Pelvic Floor Strengthening Program: Let's Strengthen Those Muscles!
Which muscles are least likely to be strengthened during a pelvic floor strengthening program for urinary incontinence?
A patient is beginning a pelvic floor strengthening program secondary to urinary incontinence. The following muscles is least likely to be strengthened during this intervention is the levator ani (pubococcygeus, iliococcygeus, and puborectalis), coccygeus, and urethral sphincters.
Answer:
The muscles least likely to be strengthened during a pelvic floor strengthening program for urinary incontinence are the levator ani (pubococcygeus, iliococcygeus, and puborectalis), coccygeus, and urethral sphincters.
The pelvic floor consists of several muscles that are vital in supporting the organs within the pelvis, such as the bladder, uterus, and rectum. These muscles play a crucial role in maintaining urinary and fecal continence, as well as supporting the pelvic organs. When these muscles are weakened, it can lead to issues such as urinary incontinence.
Commonly targeted muscles during pelvic floor strengthening exercises include the levator ani (pubococcygeus, iliococcygeus, and puborectalis), coccygeus, and urethral sphincters. Strengthening these muscles can help improve symptoms of urinary incontinence by enhancing bladder control and providing better support for the pelvic organs.
Typically, pelvic floor strengthening exercises focus on muscles directly involved in continence and pelvic support. Any muscle not directly related to these functions would be less likely to be targeted during the intervention.
Therefore, the levator ani (pubococcygeus, iliococcygeus, and puborectalis), coccygeus, and urethral sphincters are the main muscles that would be strengthened during a pelvic floor strengthening program for a patient with urinary incontinence.