The Relationship Between Pelvic Floor Muscle Function and Hip Pain Among Women

This study examines the relationship between pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function and self-perception of PFM contraction with hip pain, their severity, and hip muscle strength.

In addition, it will examines the association between PFM function, and anxiety.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hip Pain Chronic; Incontinence; Incontinence Stress
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: pelvic floor muscle assessment

Detailed Description

This cross-sectional study will include women with symptoms of hip-related pain persisting > three months(research group), and women without hip pain (control group). A single session will include various assessments as follows: abdominal ultrasound examination to evaluate PFM function and endurance, in addition, each participant will evaluate her ability to perform correct contraction of PFM, hand-held dynamometer testing for hip rotator muscle strength, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ) for evaluating symptoms and impact of urinary incontinence, the International Hip Outcome Tool 12 for assessing hip function and pain, the Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale (HADS), and a functional performance task involving the hip muscles - a single-leg squat.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 51

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Israel
  • Haifa District
    • Haifa, Haifa District, Israel, 31905
      • Haifa University, Department of PHysical Therapy

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

women with and without hip related pain

Description

Inclusion Criteria for Research Group:

• complaints of hip related pain,
• Visual Analog Scale (VAS) >3 for three months,
• with one or more of the symptoms relevant to the syndrome - (1) hip or groin pain produced by a certain movement or position, stiffness and limitation of movement or clicks from the hip joint, (2) examination A positive FADIR performed by the researcher before conducting the study

Exclusion criteria:

• the presence of additional diagnoses of the slipped capital femoral epiphysis,
• Perthes disease,
• avascular necrosis, and osteoarthritis-Calve-Legg,
• neurological or Metabolism,
• surgery/fracture in the hip joint of which the woman complains,
• pregnancy or childbirth in the last year,
• Treatment of the pelvic floor in the last year.

control group - health women without any pain or symptoms in the spine and lower extremities

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
research group; women with hip-related pain	Diagnostic test: pelvic floor muscle assessment; no intervention will be performed - several diagnostic assessments tools; Other Names: abdominal ultrasound
control group; healthy women without hip pain	Diagnostic test: pelvic floor muscle assessment; no intervention will be performed - several diagnostic assessments tools; Other Names: abdominal ultrasound

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
urinary bladder displacement in millimeters	bladder displacement will be measured via diagnostic ultrasound using the on screen caliper tool	baseline
International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire	evaluating the frequency, severity and impact on quality of life of urinary incontinence. The score ranges from 0-21, with a higher score indicating greater severity	baseline
pelvic floor muscle function assessed as correct movement of the urinary bladder	upward or downward displacement of urinary bladder will be measured via diagnostic ultrasound. Upward movement is considered the correct direction describing good function of pelvic floor muscles	baseline
pelvic floor muscles endurance of contraction in seconds	The participant is instructed to contract pelvic floor muscle and hold the contraction as long as possible. bladder status on ultrasound is assessed. When the bladder starts to move downward from its position the examination ends. (measured in sec).	baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
muscle strength	hip muscle abduction sill be measure via hand held dynamometer	baseline
self-reporting of fear and anxiety of hip pain regarding quality of life	Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale	baseline
hip range of motion	range of motion will be assessed with goniometer	baseline
function assesment	single leg squat	baseline
hip function assessment	International Hip Outcome Tool 12 questionnaire. range 0-100, with a high score indicates a high quality of life	baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Haifa
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Gali Dar, Prof., University of Haifa

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Dar G, Saban TS. The Perception of Pelvic Floor Muscle Function amongst Exercising Women Who Are Repeatedly Instructed to Contract Their Pelvic Floor Muscles. Healthcare (Basel). 2022 Sep 14;10(9):1768. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10091768.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 15, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): September 15, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 17, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 17, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): June 24, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 26, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 23, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: ultrasound; incontinence; pelvic floor; women health
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urogenital Diseases; Male Urogenital Diseases; Urologic Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Urination Disorders; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms; Urological Manifestations; Urinary Incontinence; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Urinary Incontinence, Stress
• Other Study ID Numbers: 122/24 (St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne Human Research Ethics Committee)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: following study completion, a paper will be submitted to international professional journal
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: 6 months following end of study
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No