Role of body position, gender, and age on pelvic floor location and mobility.

The location and mobility of pelvic floor in different body positions and their relation to age and gender was assessed in 117 patients (19 men, 98 women, age range 10-77 years) with chronic nonorganic constipation (defined as less than three bowel movements per week for at least three years) by means of defocography. Eleven females (age range 16-69 years), without gastrointestinal symptoms, affected by noninvasive carcinoma of the cervix represented a control group. Pelvic floor location was measured as the distance in centimeters of the anorectal junction from the pubococcygeal line; pelvic floor mobility was measured during squeezing, straining, and defecation assuming the pelvic location at rest as zero reference. Pelvic floor location and mobility did not differ between controls and constipated patients. In both groups pelvic floor location at rest was significantly higher (P = 0.001) with patients lying down than sitting up, whereas pelvic floor mobility during squeezing was greater with the patients sitting up than lying down (P = 0.003). In both positions, pelvic floor location at rest was significantly lower (P = 0.01) in females than in males. Pelvic floor mobility during squeezing was significantly different between gender. Parity and hysterectomy did not appear to affect pelvic floor location. Data emerging from this study indicate that body position is one of the major determinants of the pelvic floor location.