Physical therapists who treat patients with urinary incontinence commonly utilize sEMG biofeedback. Practitioners compare resting tone, maximal contraction, and muscle endurance measures before and after pelvic floor exercise instruction to determine intervention and demonstrate progress. There is little research that supports the use of biofeedback in positions other than supine. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of positioning on pelvic floor muscle activity as measured by surface electromyography (sEMG) in supine, sitting, and standing. Subjects were healthy nulliparous and multiparous women, 23-74 years old, with no symptoms, history, diagnosis, or treatment of incontinence. Subjects were randomized for exposure to sEMG in three different positions. Their age, parity, and delivery type was recorded. The subjects underwent a manual pelvic floor muscle strength assessment (PFMSA) to evaluate contraction recruitment. Then, using a vaginal probe electrode, they were instructed in a sEMG protocol which assessed baseline resting tone, maximal voluntary contraction, 10 second contractions, and a contraction-relaxation series in each of the three positions. Evaluation of resting tone both as an isolated measure and as part of a contraction-relaxation series was demonstrated to be higher in standing and sitting than in supine. A contraction trial lasting 10 seconds also demonstrated higher standing and sitting values. No differences were found between single maximal contraction or contraction in a contract-relax series between the three positions. Positions of standing and sitting respectively increase the resting tone and muscle recruitment demand of the pelvic floor as measured by sEMG when compared to supine. Physical therapists using sEMG to treat patients with pelvic floor weakness or laxity can anticipate that in positions other than supine, the pelvic floor support requirements increase.
Key Words: Measurement, pelvic floor muscles, position, supine, sitting, standing, sEMG, Normals
","abstract_html":"<p>Physical therapists who treat patients with urinary incontinence commonly utilize sEMG biofeedback. Practitioners compare resting tone, maximal contraction, and muscle endurance measures before and after pelvic floor exercise instruction to determine intervention and demonstrate progress. There is little research that supports the use of biofeedback in positions other than supine. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of positioning on pelvic floor muscle activity as measured by surface electromyography (sEMG) in supine, sitting, and standing. Subjects were healthy nulliparous and multiparous women, 23-74 years old, with no symptoms, history, diagnosis, or treatment of incontinence. Subjects were randomized for exposure to sEMG in three different positions. Their age, parity, and delivery type was recorded. The subjects underwent a manual pelvic floor muscle strength assessment (PFMSA) to evaluate contraction recruitment. Then, using a vaginal probe electrode, they were instructed in a sEMG protocol which assessed baseline resting tone, maximal voluntary contraction, 10 second contractions, and a contraction-relaxation series in each of the three positions. Evaluation of resting tone both as an isolated measure and as part of a contraction-relaxation series was demonstrated to be higher in standing and sitting than in supine. A contraction trial lasting 10 seconds also demonstrated higher standing and sitting values. No differences were found between single maximal contraction or contraction in a contract-relax series between the three positions. Positions of standing and sitting respectively increase the resting tone and muscle recruitment demand of the pelvic floor as measured by sEMG when compared to supine. Physical therapists using sEMG to treat patients with pelvic floor weakness or laxity can anticipate that in positions other than supine, the pelvic floor support requirements increase.</p> <p>Key Words: Measurement, pelvic floor muscles, position, supine, sitting, standing, sEMG, Normals</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Whitter-Brandon, Karen R."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Physical Therapy Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Everett Lohman III","Bonnie Forrester","Gail Polvoorde","Shannon Stegmaier"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2005,"date_issued":"2005-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2005-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:54:10Z","subjects":["Physical Therapy","Physical Therapy; Pelvic Floor; Urinary Incontinence"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1144","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Everett Lohman III","Bonnie Forrester","Gail Polvoorde","Shannon Stegmaier"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Whitter-Brandon, Karen R."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Physical Therapy Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Physical Therapy","Physical Therapy; Pelvic Floor; Urinary Incontinence"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1144"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Physical therapists who treat patients with urinary incontinence commonly utilize sEMG biofeedback. Practitioners compare resting tone, maximal contraction, and muscle endurance measures before and after pelvic floor exercise instruction to determine intervention and demonstrate progress. There is little research that supports the use of biofeedback in positions other than supine. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of positioning on pelvic floor muscle activity as measured by surface electromyography (sEMG) in supine, sitting, and standing. Subjects were healthy nulliparous and multiparous women, 23-74 years old, with no symptoms, history, diagnosis, or treatment of incontinence. Subjects were randomized for exposure to sEMG in three different positions. Their age, parity, and delivery type was recorded. The subjects underwent a manual pelvic floor muscle strength assessment (PFMSA) to evaluate contraction recruitment. Then, using a vaginal probe electrode, they were instructed in a sEMG protocol which assessed baseline resting tone, maximal voluntary contraction, 10 second contractions, and a contraction-relaxation series in each of the three positions. Evaluation of resting tone both as an isolated measure and as part of a contraction-relaxation series was demonstrated to be higher in standing and sitting than in supine. A contraction trial lasting 10 seconds also demonstrated higher standing and sitting values. No differences were found between single maximal contraction or contraction in a contract-relax series between the three positions. Positions of standing and sitting respectively increase the resting tone and muscle recruitment demand of the pelvic floor as measured by sEMG when compared to supine. Physical therapists using sEMG to treat patients with pelvic floor weakness or laxity can anticipate that in positions other than supine, the pelvic floor support requirements increase.
Key Words: Measurement, pelvic floor muscles, position, supine, sitting, standing, sEMG, Normals
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Effect of Positioning on Pelvic Floor Muscle Activity as Evaluated with Surface Electromyography in Normals"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Everett Lohman III","Bonnie Forrester","Gail Polvoorde","Shannon Stegmaier"],"dc:creator":["Whitter-Brandon, Karen R."],"dc:description.abstract":["Physical therapists who treat patients with urinary incontinence commonly utilize sEMG biofeedback. Practitioners compare resting tone, maximal contraction, and muscle endurance measures before and after pelvic floor exercise instruction to determine intervention and demonstrate progress. There is little research that supports the use of biofeedback in positions other than supine. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of positioning on pelvic floor muscle activity as measured by surface electromyography (sEMG) in supine, sitting, and standing. Subjects were healthy nulliparous and multiparous women, 23-74 years old, with no symptoms, history, diagnosis, or treatment of incontinence. Subjects were randomized for exposure to sEMG in three different positions. Their age, parity, and delivery type was recorded. The subjects underwent a manual pelvic floor muscle strength assessment (PFMSA) to evaluate contraction recruitment. Then, using a vaginal probe electrode, they were instructed in a sEMG protocol which assessed baseline resting tone, maximal voluntary contraction, 10 second contractions, and a contraction-relaxation series in each of the three positions. Evaluation of resting tone both as an isolated measure and as part of a contraction-relaxation series was demonstrated to be higher in standing and sitting than in supine. A contraction trial lasting 10 seconds also demonstrated higher standing and sitting values. No differences were found between single maximal contraction or contraction in a contract-relax series between the three positions. Positions of standing and sitting respectively increase the resting tone and muscle recruitment demand of the pelvic floor as measured by sEMG when compared to supine. Physical therapists using sEMG to treat patients with pelvic floor weakness or laxity can anticipate that in positions other than supine, the pelvic floor support requirements increase.
Key Words: Measurement, pelvic floor muscles, position, supine, sitting, standing, sEMG, Normals
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1144"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"dc:subject":["Physical Therapy","Physical Therapy; Pelvic Floor; Urinary Incontinence"],"dc:title":["The Effect of Positioning on Pelvic Floor Muscle Activity as Evaluated with Surface Electromyography in Normals"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Physical Therapy Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:54:10Z"}