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This research study investigates the effectiveness of an educational intervention aimed at improving awareness and control of pelvic floor (PF) and abdominal muscle contractions in healthy young male university students. Using ultrasound imaging, the study measures abdominal wall muscle thickness at rest and during pelvic floor contraction, Active Straight Leg Raise (ASLR) test, and hollowing maneuvers in a randomized control trial.
The study addresses the largely overlooked area of male PF health, aiming to increase awareness and improve muscle control in healthy young men. A two-group design will be used to compare abdominal and PF muscle activation between a control group and an intervention group that receives online educational content. The intervention group will participate in a telematic program covering topics such as PF anatomy, muscle function, and the importance of proper muscle activation.
The study will use diagnostic ultrasound to measure thickness changes in the transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) muscles before and after the intervention in both groups under different conditions: PF rest, PF contraction, single-leg raise (ASLR) test, and the hollowing maneuver.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDUCATION | Experimental | Participants receive an educational program focused on improving awareness and activation of the pelvic floor muscles and abdominal muscle synergy through telematic resources. |
|
| Control | No Intervention | Participants in this group receive no educational intervention and participate only in baseline and follow-up assessments of abdominal and PFM activation. |
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFM Educational Program | Behavioral | A structured telematic educational program covering PFM anatomy, function, and proper activation techniques. Content includes videos, visual guides, and exercises aimed at promoting PFM co-contraction and awareness. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness of the Transverse Abdominal Muscle (TrA) | Assessed at rest, during Pelvic floor (PF) contraction and during Active Straight Leg Raise (ASRL) via ultrasound,in centimetres | Measured at baseline (pre-intervention) and at the end of the 4-week intervention period (post-intervention). |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness of the External (OE) and Internal Oblique (OI) Muscles | Measured at rest, during PF contraction, and with the ASLR test using ultrasound, in centimeters | Measured at baseline (pre-intervention) and at the end of the 4-week intervention period (post-intervention). |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Male
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| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angel Gonzalez de la Flor | Madrid | Madrid | 28029 | Spain |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11135380 | Background | Sapsford RR, Hodges PW, Richardson CA, Cooper DH, Markwell SJ, Jull GA. Co-activation of the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles during voluntary exercises. Neurourol Urodyn. 2001;20(1):31-42. doi: 10.1002/1520-6777(2001)20:13.0.co;2-p. | |
| 35876473 | Background | Notenboom-Nas FJM, Knol-de Vries GE, Beijer L, Tolsma Y, Slieker-Ten Hove MCP, Dekker JH, van Koeveringe GA, Blanker MH. Exploring pelvic floor muscle function in men with and without pelvic floor symptoms: A population-based study. Neurourol Urodyn. 2022 Nov;41(8):1739-1748. doi: 10.1002/nau.24996. Epub 2022 Jul 25. |
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No, we do not plan to share Individual Participant Data (IPD) with other researchers. We will publish aggregated results from the study, ensuring that all data is de-identified to protect participant confidentiality.
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This study uses a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design with a parallel-group model. Participants are allocated to either a control group or an intervention group using a 1:1 ratio. The intervention group receives a structured educational program delivered via telematic resources, covering topics such as pelvic floor muscle (PFM) anatomy, function, and proper muscle activation techniques. The control group does not receive this educational intervention. Both groups undergo baseline and post-intervention ultrasound assessments to measure abdominal and PFM activation during various maneuvers, including resting, PFM contraction, the Active Straight Leg Raise (ASLR) test, and the hollowing maneuver. This model aims to evaluate the impact of the educational intervention on muscle co-contraction and activation patterns.
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Blinding will apply to the study evaluators. The evaluators will have no knowledge about the assignment of the participants, which ensures that the evaluation of the results is unbiased and not influenced by the group to which they belong.
| 21599840 | Background | Tuckett AG, Hodgkinson B, Hegney DG, Paterson J, Kralik D. Effectiveness of educational interventions to raise men's awareness of bladder and bowel health. Int J Evid Based Healthc. 2011 Jun;9(2):81-96. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-1609.2011.00208.x. |
| 25891335 | Background | Richter LA, Gutman RE, Tefera E, Estep A, Iglesia CB. Knowledge of erectile dysfunction and pelvic floor disorders among young adults: a cross-sectional study. Can J Urol. 2015 Apr;22(2):7715-9. |