Expanding the Therapeutic Application of Circumvaginal Electromyography: Two Case Studies of Women with Spinal Cord Injuries

A pilot study investigating the use of circumvaginal electromyographic feedback for two women with spinal cord injuries is reported. One subject presented with urinary leakage around her Foley catheter and a desire to switch from an indwelling catheter to clean intermittent catheterization. The second subject experienced painful hamstring spasms during vaginal orgasm and was referred for a perineometry evaluation to assess the possible role of the circumvaginal musculature in triggering the pain. Each subject received a perineometry evaluation and 10 training sessions aimed at isolating and strengthening the pubococcygeus muscle. The first subject no longer experiences urinary leakage and is still making slow progress in muscle strengthening. The second subject has made a 31-fold increase in sustained muscle strength. She was able to isolate the muscles involved in her spasms, has less discomfort during vaginal orgasms, and has pain-free clitoral orgasms.