Biomechanics of the Female Pelvic Floor, Second Edition, is the first book to specifically focus on this key part of women's health, combining engineering and clinical expertise. This edited collection will help readers understand the risk factors for pelvic floor dysfunction, the mechanisms of childbirth related injury, and how to design intrapartum preventative strategies, optimal repair techniques, and prostheses. The authors have combined their expertise to create a thorough, comprehensive view of female pelvic floor biomechanics in order to help different disciplines discuss, research, and drive solutions to pressing problems. The book includes a common language for the design, conduct, and reporting of research studies in female PFD, and will be of interest to biomechanical and prosthetic tissue engineers and clinicians interested in female pelvic floor dysfunction, including urologists, urogynecologists, maternal fetal medicine specialists, and physical therapists. - Contains contributions from leading bioengineers and clinicians, and provides a cohesive multidisciplinary view of the field - Covers causes, risk factors, and optimal treatment for pelvic floor biomechanics - Combines anatomy, imaging, tissue characteristics, and computational modeling development in relation to pelvic floor biomechanics

Biomechanics of the Female Pelvic Floor, Second Edition, is the first book to specifically focus on this key part of women's health, combining engineering and clinical expertise. This edited collection will help readers understand the risk factors for pelvic floor dysfunction, the mechanisms of childbirth related injury, and how to design intrapartum preventative strategies, optimal repair techniques, and prostheses. The authors have combined their expertise to create a thorough, comprehensive view of female pelvic floor biomechanics in order to help different disciplines discuss, research, and drive solutions to pressing problems. The book includes a common language for the design, conduct, and reporting of research studies in female PFD, and will be of interest to biomechanical and prosthetic tissue engineers and clinicians interested in female pelvic floor dysfunction, including urologists, urogynecologists, maternal fetal medicine specialists, and physical therapists.

Biomechanical Mapping of the Female Pelvic Floor explores new technological advances in women's healthcare intended to improve pelvic floor characterization, diagnosis and prediction of treatment outcomes. The book describes biomechanical approaches and clinical examples to demonstrate how one can evaluate the changes in the pelvic floor to gain a better understanding of an individual patient's pelvic floor dysfunctions, such as prolapse, incontinence, chronic pelvic pain, and even conditions leading to spontaneous preterm delivery and predicting maternal birth trauma. This book is a valuable resource for researchers focused on gynecology, urogynecology or obstetrics, clinicians, graduate students and biomedical scientists and bioengineers who need to better understand the technological advances in biomechanical characterization and how they can be used not only for diagnosis but also for monitoring several OBGYN-related conditions. - Discusses the most recent advances in the field of biomechanical characterization of soft tissues, pelvic support and function, including different applications of tactile imaging, ultrasound and magnetic resonance elastography - Explores new diagnostic devices and techniques, mathematical models and simulations to address preoperative assessment and prediction of pelvic surgery outcomes and delivery - Presents reviews of the results of multiple clinical studies with the biomechanical mapping of human tissues and organs to provide comprehensive information on the subject and determine future directions in the field

The initial objective of this work was to reduce stress incontinence surgery from a major surgical procedure (requiring up to ten days in hospital) to a minor day-care operation. From the beginning it was clear that the two major impediments to achieving this goal were post operative pain and urinary retention. Addressing these problems became a long and winding road and culminated in the Integral Theory. The IVS 'tension-free' tape operation was inspired by Dr Robert Zacharin's anatomical studies. Though Zacharin suggested that the ligaments and muscles around the urethra were important for urinary continence control, he did not say how. The observation that implanted foreign materials created scar tissue led to the hypothesis that a plastic tape inserted in the position of the pubourethrallig ament, would leave behind sufficient scar tissue to reinforce that ligament, which would then anchor the muscles for urethral closure. In September 1986, two prototype Intravaginal Sling operations were per formed. A Mersilene tape was inserted with neither tension nor elevation, in the position of the pubourethral ligament. Restoration of continence was immediate and both patients were discharged on the day following surgery without require ment for catheterization. There was minimal pain, and immediate restoration of continence. After six weeks the tapes were removed. Both patients were still conti nent at last review 10 years later. The results appeared to confirm the importance of a midurethral anchoring point.

This book focuses on particular mental and physical aspects of women’s health, presenting topics concerning the pelvis and pelvic floor dysfunction and the breast during a woman’s life, such as rehabilitation for pelvic and breast disorders, and the benefits of biomechanical analysis in treating these conditions. With each chapter providing a brief survey of a major research area related to the theme, the book offers an integrated overview of topics such as the bio-psycho-social model of women’s health, pelvic floor evaluation in sports, the breast, pregnancy and delivery. It is a valuable resource for a wide range of readers, including researchers, graduates and professionals.

"Combining scientific principles with movement and imagery exercises...demonstrates how to create a stronger body by toning the pelvic floor." -- Back cover.

This new International Olympic Committee (IOC) handbook covers the science, medicine and psycho-social aspects of females in sports at all levels of competition. Each chapter focuses on the specific issues that female athletes confront both on and off the field, such as bone health, nutritional recommendations, exercise/competition during menstruation and pregnancy, and much more. Fully endorsed by the IOC and drawing upon the experience of an international team of expert contributors, no other publication deals with the topic in such a concise and complete manner. The Female Athlete is recommended for all health care providers for women and girl athletes internationally for all sports and all levels of competition. It is a valuable resource for medical doctors, physical and occupational therapists, nutritionists, and sports scientists as well as coaches, personal trainers and athletes.