ArticleBMC women's health2026
Effects of extracorporeal shockwave therapy on pain and pelvic floor function in women with pelvic floor myofascial pain: a retrospective cohort analysis.
Article in BMC women's health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundPelvic floor myofascial pain (PFMP) is a common cause of chronic pelvic pain. We aimed to explore whether the application of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is associated with reductions in pain intensity and pelvic floor dysfunction scores among patients with PFMP.
methodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of 20 female patients with PFMP treated with ESWT between July 2022 and February 2024. All participants underwent a baseline assessment, which included a comprehensive medical history, physical examination, and symptom evaluation using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Pelvic Floor Disability Inventory-20 (PFDI-20). ESWT was administered perineally in lithotomy position once weekly for four consecutive weeks, with 2,000 impulses delivered per session. Changes in VAS, PFDI-20, and its subscales (POPDI-6, CRADI-8, UDI-6) were analyzed using paired statistical comparisons.
resultsThe median age of the patients was 55 years (interquartile range, IQR, 47.5–63.0). After 4 weeks of ESWT, the median VAS score decreased significantly from 7.0 to 2.0 (p < 0.01). The median PFDI-20 score decreased from 33.0 to 26.5 (p < 0.01). Subscale analysis revealed significant reductions in POPDI-6 (from 11.0 to 8.0, p < 0.01), CRADI-8 (from 13.0 to 10.0, p < 0.05), and UDI-6 (from 10.0 to 9.0, p < 0.01). Effect sizes for pre–post changes ranged from r = − 0.54 to − 0.88, with 95% bootstrap confidence intervals reported for all outcomes.
conclusionESWT is associated with decreased pain intensity and reduced pelvic floor dysfunction scores in patients with PFMP. However, short-term, within-patient change remains the dominant interpretative frame. As such, ESWT is described as associated with symptom reductions rather than implying effectiveness. These preliminary, within-patient findings warrant confirmation in larger, controlled prospective studies.
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