Resumo Introdução: O treinamento dos músculos do assoalho pélvico é amplamente utilizado no tratamento de disfunções do assoalho pélvico, como a incontinência urinária, e durante sua execução evita-se a contração abdominal, entretanto vários estudos defendem a utilização do sinergismo entre estes grupos musculares. Objetivo: Revisar sistematicamente os estudos que buscam identificar a presença de sinergismo entre os músculos do abdômen e do assoalho pélvico e sua funcionalidade em mulheres sem disfunções do assoalho pélvico. Metodologia: Para a realização da revisão, foram seguidas as recomendações propostas pela Colaboração Cochrane para revisões sistemáticas. A busca na literatura incluiu as bases SCIELO, PEDro, MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL e EMBASE, além de busca manual, do início das bases até agosto de 2013. Foram incluídos estudos observacionais transversais com mulheres saudáveis que foram avaliadas quanto à presença de sinergismo entre os músculos abdominais e do assoalho pélvico. Resultados: Foram incluídos 10 artigos e todos demonstraram a existência de sinergismo entre os músculos abdominais e músculos do assoalho pélvico em mulheres saudáveis nas posturas supina, sentada e em ortostase. Conclusão: Dessa forma, pode-se concluir que há sinergismo entre os músculos do abdômen e do assoalho pélvico em mulheres saudáveis. Conhecer melhor o comportamento dessas musculaturas e do sinergismo pode favorecer a elaboração de estratégias de prevenção e tratamento das disfunções dos músculos do assoalho pélvico feminino.

Abstract Introduction: The training of the pelvic floor muscles is widely used for treating pelvic floor dysfunctions, like urinary incontinence. During the training, abdominal contractions are avoided; however several studies support the use of the synergy between these muscle groups. Objective: Carrying out a systematic review of studies that seek to identify the presence of synergy between the muscles of the abdomen and the pelvic floor and its functionality in women without pelvic floor dysfunction. Methodology: To conduct the review, we have followed the recommendations proposed by the Cochrane Collaboration for systematic reviews. The literature search included the databases SCIELO, PEDro, MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL and EMBASE, and manual research, the starting date of the databases until August 2013. We included cross observational studies with healthy women who were assessed to find the presence of synergy between the abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor. Results: We included 10 articles and they all showed the existence of synergy between the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles in healthy women in the supine, sitting and standing positions. Conclusion: Thus, we can conclude that there is synergy between the muscles of the abdomen and the pelvic floor in healthy women. Better understanding the behavior of these muscles and synergy may favor the development of strategies for the prevention and treatment of disorders of the female pelvic floor muscles.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study is to associate the results obtained while assessing the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) functionality with the score of sexual satisfaction of young adult women. Methods This is an observational and cross-sectional study. The inclusion criteria were women aged between 20 and 40 years who have had sexual intercourse, nulliparous, BMI lower than 25 kg/m2, and absence of pelvic floor dysfunction. The evaluation consisted of both the medical history and assessment of the PFM functionality using the Perina pressure biofeedback and Oxford Scale. We measured sexual satisfaction using the Female Sexual Quotient questionnaire and used the KolmogorovSmirnov test to verify the normality of the data. We analyzed non-parametric variables using the Spearman correlation test. The significance level was 5 %. Results A total of 80 women with a median age of 26 years and median BMI of 21.64 kg/m2 participated in this study. We divided the subjects into two groups, best and worse PFM functionality, according to median Perina pressure biofeedback and Oxford scale. We found no difference between the groups when comparing the sexual satisfaction scores. There was only a slight significant correlation between the Contraction Voluntary Average obtained using the pressure biofeedback and the primary domain (r = 0.27; p = 0.01). Conclusion This study found a slight correlation between PFM functionality and the functionality of the primary domain of the Female Sexual Quotient questionnaire. Therefore, it is not possible to state whether there is an association between the PFM functionality and female sexual satisfaction in young adults.

A Escola Postural se caracteriza como um programa educativo direcionado a indivíduos que apresentam dores crônicas na coluna vertebral. No Brasil observou-se, nas últimas décadas, um número crescente de pesquisas sobre os efeitos desses programas. Assim, o objetivo desta revisão foi identificar as pesquisas sobre as Escolas Posturais desenvolvidas no Brasil com a população de adultos e idosos, comparando-se metodologias de intervenção, instrumentos de coleta de dados e resultados. Realizou-se uma busca sistemática de artigos científicos e teses e dissertações em várias bases de dados. As palavras-chave utilizadas na busca foram Postural Program; Postural School; Back School; Back Care Education; Back Education, e os respectivos termos em português. Foram encontrados dezoito estudos, sendo quatorze quantitativos e quatro qualitativos. Os estudos apresentam inúmeras diferenças entre si, tanto nas propostas de intervenções quanto no desenho metodológico. Contudo, a utilização de instrumentos semelhantes para a avaliação da intensidade da dor, da capacidade funcional e da qualidade de vida entre os estudos quantitativos permite uma comparação parcial da eficácia desses programas. Os estudos incluídos nesta revisão demonstram, em geral, a eficácia imediata na diminuição da dor e na melhora da capacidade funcional e da qualidade de vida após a Escola Postural. Porém ,observou-se que os resultados ainda são divergentes em relação à eficácia no médio e longo prazos. Deste modo, torna-se necessária a realização de novos estudos que contemplem reavaliações a médio e longo prazos para que conclusões mais precisas sobre a eficácia das Escolas Posturais sejam obtidas.

The Back School is characterized as an educational program aimed at individuals who have chronic pain in spine. In Brazil, a growing number of research studies on the effects of such programs have been observed in the last decades. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review was to identify studies on Back Schools carried out in Brazil with a population of adults and elderlies, and to compare their intervention methodologies, data collection tools, and results. A search for scientific articles and Master's and doctoral theses in several databases was conducted. The keywords used in that search were Postural Program; Postural School; Back School; Back Care Education; Back Education, as well as the respective terms in Portuguese. Eighteen studies were found, being fourteen quantitative and four qualitative studies.The studies showed many differences between them, in both the interventions proposed and the methodological design. However, the use of similar tools for assessing pain intensity, functional capacity, and quality of life between the quantitative studies allowed a partial comparison of the efficacy of those programs.The studies included in this systematic review demonstrated, in general, the immediate efficacy in reducing pain and improving functional capacity and quality of life after the Back School. Results, however, are still conflicting regarding the efficacy in the medium and long terms. Thus, it becomes necessary to conduct further studies that include follow-up assessments in the medium and long terms in order to obtain more accurate conclusions about the efficacy of Back Schools.