A perineometer or Kegel perineometer (vaginal manometer) is an instrument for measuring the strength of voluntary contractions of the pelvic floor muscles. Arnold Kegel

Arnold Kegel

Arnold H. Kegel M.D., F.A.C.S. was a gynecologist who invented the Kegel Perineometer and Kegel exercises as non-surgical treatment of genital relaxation...

 (1894–1981) was the gynecologist who invented the Kegel Perineometer (used for measuring vaginal air pressure) and Kegel exercises (squeezing of the muscles of the pelvic floor). This followed the observation that muscles of the pelvic floor inevitably weakened following the trauma of childbirth

Childbirth

Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the birth of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus...

. Ascertaining the air pressure inside the vagina

Vagina

The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...

 by insertion of a perineometer, while requesting the woman to squeeze as hard as possible, indicates whether or not she would benefit from strengthening the vaginal muscles using the Kegel exercises. More modern electromyograph (EMG

Electromyography

Electromyography is a technique for evaluating and recording the electrical activity produced by skeletal muscles. EMG is performed using an instrument called an electromyograph, to produce a record called an electromyogram. An electromyograph detects the electrical potential generated by muscle...

) perineometers, which measure electrical activity in the pelvic floor muscles, may be more effective in this purpose. Assessment of pelvic floor strength during gynaecological examination may help to identify women with fascial defects of the pelvic floor

Pelvic floor

The pelvic floor or pelvic diaphragm is composed of muscle fibers of the levator ani, the coccygeus, and associated connective tissue which span the area underneath the pelvis. The pelvic diaphragm is a muscular partition formed by the levatores ani and coccygei, with which may be included the...

, as well as those at risk of genital prolapse

Prolapse

Prolapse literally means "to fall out of place", from the Latin prolabi meaning "to fall out". In medicine, prolapse is a condition where organs, such as the uterus, fall down or slip out of place. It is used for organs protruding through the vagina or the rectum or for the misalignment of the...

 or urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence is any involuntary leakage of urine. It is a common and distressing problem, which may have a profound impact on quality of life. Urinary incontinence almost always results from an underlying treatable medical condition but is under-reported to medical practitioners...

. Both the Kegel perineometer and a digital examination are effective and concordant in their results in this assessment.