A Kegel perineometer or vaginal manometer is an instrument for measuring the strength of voluntary contractions of the

pelvic floor muscles The pelvic floor or pelvic diaphragm is composed of muscle fibers of the levator ani, the coccygeus muscle, and associated connective tissue which span the area underneath the pelvis. The pelvic diaphragm is a muscular partition formed by the le ...

. Arnold Kegel (1894–1972) was the gynecologist who invented the Kegel perineometer (used for measuring vaginal air pressure) and Kegel exercises (squeezing of the muscles of the pelvic floor). This followed the observation that muscles of the pelvic floor inevitably weakened following the trauma of

childbirth Childbirth, also known as labour and delivery, is the ending of pregnancy where one or more babies exits the internal environment of the mother via vaginal delivery or caesarean section. In 2019, there were about 140.11 million births globall ...

. Ascertaining the air pressure inside the

vagina In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hymen ...

by insertion of a perineometer, while requesting the woman to squeeze as hard as possible, indicates whether or not she would benefit from strengthening the vaginal muscles using the Kegel exercises. More modern electromyograph ( EMG) perineometers, which measure electrical activity in the pelvic floor muscles, may be more effective in this purpose.Wexner S: ''Fundamentals of Anorectal Surgery'', page 114. New York: McGraw Hill, 1992. Assessment of pelvic floor strength during gynaecological examination may help to identify women with fascial defects of the

pelvic floor The pelvic floor or pelvic diaphragm is composed of muscle fibers of the levator ani, the coccygeus muscle, and associated connective tissue which span the area underneath the pelvis. The pelvic diaphragm is a muscular partition formed by the lev ...

, as well as those at risk of genital

prolapse In medicine, prolapse is a condition in which organs fall down or slip out of place. It is used for organs protruding through the vagina, rectum, or for the misalignment of the valves of the heart. A spinal disc herniation is also sometimes ca ...

urinary incontinence Urinary incontinence (UI), also known as involuntary urination, is any uncontrolled leakage of urine. It is a common and distressing problem, which may have a large impact on quality of life. It has been identified as an important issue in geria ...

. Both the Kegel perineometer and a digital examination are effective and concordant in their results in this assessment.

References

Obstetrics Medical equipment Midwifery {{medical-equipment-stub

See also

References