Study: NCT04234555

Intervention type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
Intervention: Pelvic floor muscle response to pressure applied at the vulvar vestibule
Description: Electromyography will be used to determine whether the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) respond to pressure applied to the vulvar vestibule as anticipatory (i.e. PFMs are active before the pressure is applied) and as behavioural (i.e. PFMs are active after the pressure is applied) responses. The amplitude of the EMG responses will also be recorded.

Intervention type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
Intervention: Pelvic floor muscle response to pressure applied at the vulvar vestibule
Description: Electromyography will be used to determine whether the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) respond to pressure applied to the vulvar vestibule as anticipatory (i.e. PFMs are active before the pressure is applied) and as behavioural (i.e. PFMs are active after the pressure is applied) responses. The amplitude of the EMG responses will also be recorded.

Intervention type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
Intervention: Pressure pain threshold (PPS)
Description: A custom vulvalgesiometer will be used to determine the mean pressure at which participants first report pain at the posterior vaginal fourchette.

Intervention type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
Intervention: Pressure pain threshold (PPS)
Description: A custom vulvalgesiometer will be used to determine the mean pressure at which participants first report pain at the posterior vaginal fourchette.

Intervention type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
Intervention: Pressure pain threshold (PPS)
Description: A custom vulvalgesiometer will be used to determine the mean pressure at which participants first report pain at the posterior vaginal fourchette.

Intervention type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
Intervention: Temporal summation of pain
Description: A custom vulvalgesiometer will be used to apply the same pressure (rated as 4/10 duiring PPS testing as described above) to the vulvar vestibule across 10 repetitions. The difference in pain rated on the tenth application and that rated on the first application will be the outcome.

Intervention type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
Intervention: Temporal summation of pain
Description: A custom vulvalgesiometer will be used to apply the same pressure (rated as 4/10 duiring PPS testing as described above) to the vulvar vestibule across 10 repetitions. The difference in pain rated on the tenth application and that rated on the first application will be the outcome.

Intervention type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
Intervention: Temporal summation of pain
Description: A custom vulvalgesiometer will be used to apply the same pressure (rated as 4/10 duiring PPS testing as described above) to the vulvar vestibule across 10 repetitions. The difference in pain rated on the tenth application and that rated on the first application will be the outcome.

Intervention type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
Intervention: Tonic, phasic and reflex activation of the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs)
Description: Electromyography will be used to measure the mean smoothed, rectified activation amplitude across 1 second of complete rest, across three maximal effort PFM contractions, and across three attempts at a bearing down maneuver.

Intervention type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST
Intervention: Tonic, phasic and reflex activation of the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs)
Description: Electromyography will be used to measure the mean smoothed, rectified activation amplitude across 1 second of complete rest, across three maximal effort PFM contractions, and across three attempts at a bearing down maneuver.