The effect of age on pelvic floor dynamics.

Anorectal function is known to be influenced by age but there is only scanty information about the effect of ageing on pelvic floor dynamics. Pelvic floor movements were assessed by videoproctography in two groups of ten control females (mean age of 30.5 and 60.7 years, respectively). A significantly lower pelvic floor position was found at rest in the older group (p = 0.02), but younger controls showed an increased pelvic floor descent during straining (p = 0.01). These results suggest that the pelvic floor is affected by progressive denervation but descent during straining tends to decrease with advancing age.