Relations Between Pelvic Floor, Diaphragm and Trunk Muscles

During the last two decades, the connection between pelvic floor muscles (PFM) and abdominal muscles or diaphragm has been detected: PFM contract and relax during the inhalation and exhalation in pace with the diaphragm; the activity of the PFM increases with the increase of intra-abdominal pressure during forced exhalations or cough. The role of pelvic floor is essential for the synergy of diaphragm and abdominal muscles in maintenance of intra-abdominal pressure. According to the aforementioned physiological functional relationships, the investigators have postulated a hypothesis that diaphragm muscles training and abdominal muscles training could have similar effect as direct PFM training on pelvic floor muscles strength and pelvic floor muscles endurance measured using perineometer in men after radical prostatectomy.