Measuring pelvic floor muscle fitness in women with myofascial pelvic pain
Official title: Quantitative Assessment of Pelvic Floor Muscle Fitness in Myofascial Pelvic Pain
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11592207 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A non-invasive imaging method uses near-infrared spectroscopy to map how well pelvic floor muscles work in adult women with myofascial pelvic pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 11, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,849,584 |
| NIH project number | 4R33AT013008-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11592207 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adult women with myofascial pelvic pain who have pelvic floor dysfunction and related urinary, bowel, or sexual symptoms.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without pelvic floor disorders or those not experiencing related pelvic symptoms may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a new, non-invasive way to measure how pelvic floor muscles function in real time using a vaginal optical sensor. It focuses on 3-Dimensional muscle activity, blood flow, and oxygenation to understand how contractions affect pelvic pain, bowel, bladder, and sexual symptoms. By validating these measurements, patients could gain better diagnosis, targeted therapies, and clearer progress tracking. The study is conducted at UCLA and aims to connect physiological metrics with symptom patterns to guide future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may receive more precise assessments of pelvic floor dysfunction and more personalized treatments for pelvic pain and related symptoms.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that non-invasive pelvic assessments can reveal functional differences, but this project aims to validate a real-time, 3-D approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ackerman, a. Lenore — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Ackerman, a. Lenore
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.