ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the role of the pelvic floor muscles in chronic pelvic pain. It focuses on chronic pelvic pain from the viewpoint of pelvic floor muscle dysfunction. As a consequence, a largepart of this chapter is dedicated topelvic floormuscle function anddysfunction.Onlywhen the physiology, pathophysiology, and symptomatology of pelvic floor muscle dysfunction is clear, can the role of the pelvic floor muscles in patients with chronic pelvic pain be understood. Understanding this role makes it clear that the treatment of pelvic floor muscle dysfunction can be of great help in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain. However, treatment of a dysfunction of the pelvic floor muscles is only effective after the dysfunction has been assessed and classified. A recent new international report on terminology and assessment of pelvic floormusclesmakes it possible to do this in a standardized way. Physiotherapy of the pelvic floor muscles can be an important treatmentmodality forpatientswith chronicpelvicpainasa result ofpelvicfloormuscle dysfunction. Dysfunctions of the pelvic floormuscles often have a psychological aspect to theway they developed, their impact on daily life, or in their therapeutic aspects. Treatment of chronic pelvic pain should address psychological elements as well as physical problems.
