# Perineometer

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{{Short description|Instrument for measuring the strength of voluntary contractions of pelvic floor muscles}}
[[Image:1116 Muscle of the Female Perineum.png|thumb|300px|The muscles of the female [perineum](/source/perineum). Pelvic floor muscles may be damaged in childbirth, the severity of which may be assessed using a '''perineometer''']]

A '''Kegel perineometer''' or '''vaginal manometer''' is an instrument for measuring the strength of voluntary contractions of the [pelvic floor muscles](/source/pelvic_floor_muscles).  [Arnold Kegel](/source/Arnold_Kegel) (1894–1972) was the gynecologist who invented the Kegel perineometer (used for measuring vaginal air pressure) and [Kegel exercises](/source/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](/source/childbirth).<ref name="pmid18860416">{{cite journal
| author = Kegel AH
| title = The nonsurgical treatment of genital relaxation; use of the perineometer as an aid in restoring anatomic and functional structure
| journal = Ann West Med Surg
| volume = 2
| issue = 5
| pages = 213–6
|date=May 1948
| pmid = 18860416
| doi = 
| url = 
| issn = 
}}</ref>  Ascertaining the air pressure inside the [vagina](/source/vagina) 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](/source/Electromyography)) perineometers, which measure electrical activity in the pelvic floor muscles, may be more effective in this purpose.<ref>Wexner S: ''Fundamentals of Anorectal Surgery'', page 114. New York: McGraw Hill, 1992.</ref>  Assessment of pelvic floor strength during gynaecological examination may help to identify women with fascial defects of the [pelvic floor](/source/pelvic_floor), as well as those at risk of genital [prolapse](/source/prolapse) or [urinary incontinence](/source/urinary_incontinence).  Both the Kegel perineometer and a digital examination are effective and concordant in their results in this assessment.<ref name="pmid10955433">{{cite journal
|vauthors=Isherwood PJ, Rane A | title = Comparative assessment of pelvic floor strength using a perineometer and digital examination
| journal = BJOG
| volume = 107
| issue = 8
| pages = 1007–11
|date=August 2000
| pmid = 10955433
| doi = 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2000.tb10404.x
| url = 
| issn = 
| doi-access = 
}}</ref> Based on his experience with perineometry, sexologist Karl F. Stifter developed the internationally patented pelvic floor trainer COME<ref>Austrian patent AT 413 482 dated 15.03.2006, European patent 1633450 dated 04.10.2006, Chinese patent 2005 8 0000031.6 dated 13.08.2008, USA patent 7,998,056 dated 16.08.2011</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stifter |first=Karl F. |date=2004 |title=Significant efficiency enhancement of pelvic floor training by means of COME (Clinical Orgasm Muscle exerciser). |journal=The Journal of Sexual Medicine |publisher=Blackwell Publishing |publication-place=Malden, MA USA |publication-date=2004 |volume=1 |issue=1 |page=91 |issn=1743-6095}}</ref> in 2005

==See also==
* [Perineal tear classification](/source/Perineal_tear_classification)

==References==
<references />

{{Medical instruments and implants |state=expanded}}

Category:Obstetrics
Category:Medical equipment
Category:Midwifery

{{medical-equipment-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Perineometer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perineometer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perineometer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.