Abdominal Muscles, Abdominal Muscles/ultrasonography, Pelvic Floor
Conditions
Keywords
Pelvic Floor Health, Male Pelvic Floor Education, Ultrasound Imaging, Pelvic Floor Muscle Training, Physiotherapy
Brief summary
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.
Detailed description
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.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALPFM Educational Program
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.
Sponsors
European University of Madrid
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
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.
Intervention model description
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.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Men aged 18-30 years * Healthy men * Informed consent submitted, accepted and signed
Exclusion criteria
* Patients undergoing abdominal cavity surgery * Patients with cognitive/proprioceptive impairments * Patients who have had physiotherapy interventions of PFM * Patients with low scores on the Spanish-validated SHIM sexual health questionnaire for males.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness of the Transverse Abdominal Muscle (TrA) | Measured at baseline (pre-intervention) and at the end of the 4-week intervention period (post-intervention). | Assessed at rest, during Pelvic floor (PF) contraction and during Active Straight Leg Raise (ASRL) via ultrasound,in centimetres |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness of the External (OE) and Internal Oblique (OI) Muscles | Measured at baseline (pre-intervention) and at the end of the 4-week intervention period (post-intervention). | Measured at rest, during PF contraction, and with the ASLR test using ultrasound, in centimeters |
Countries
Spain
Outcome results
None listed