5R rehabilitation versus Swiss ball exercises for postpartum pelvic floor recovery
Official title: Comparison of Rehabilitation Exercise Protocol (5R) and Swiss Ball Training for Postpartum Pelvic Floor Muscle Dysfunction
Run by University of Lahore · NCT07478627 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will test whether the 5R rehabilitation program or Swiss ball exercises better improve pelvic floor strength and reduce symptoms in women within six months after childbirth who have pelvic floor muscle dysfunction.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 20 Years to 40 Years |
| Sex | Women only |
| Enrollment | 88 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Lahore Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Lahore, Punjab Province) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 23, 2026 |
| Main results expected | April 23, 2026 |
| Study ends | April 25, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | March 17, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07478627 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Women aged 20–40 who delivered within the past six months (vaginal or cesarean), have confirmed pelvic floor muscle dysfunction and report urinary incontinence at least once per week, and who are willing to participate are the intended candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Women with recent high-risk pregnancy or postpartum complications, prior pelvic surgery, significant musculoskeletal or neurological disorders, or clinically significant diastasis recti are excluded and may not benefit from the interventions tested here.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Postpartum women diagnosed with pelvic floor muscle dysfunction will be assigned to follow either a structured Rehabilitation Exercise Protocol (5R) or a Swiss ball–based exercise program. The 5R protocol emphasizes progressive phases of relaxation, recruitment, resistance, repetition, and recovery, while the Swiss ball program emphasizes core stability and pelvic control through exercises on a stability ball. Interventions will be delivered with physiotherapist guidance over a scheduled rehabilitation period and participants will have regular follow-up visits. Outcomes will include objective measures of pelvic floor muscle function and patient-reported symptoms such as frequency of urinary incontinence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, one of these exercise programs could offer a practical, non-surgical way to restore pelvic floor strength and reduce postpartum urinary symptoms.
How similar studies have gone: Conventional pelvic floor muscle training has strong supporting evidence for reducing postpartum incontinence, Swiss ball approaches have shown promising but less robust results, and the specific 5R protocol is a newer, less extensively studied structured program.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Females aged 20-40 years who have given birth within the last 6 months (normal deliveries). Delivery mood: both Normal and cesarean deliveries. Primiparous and Multiparous women. Women willing to participate in study. Confirmed pelvic floor dysfunction. Self-report of urinary incontinence (stress or urge) occurring at least once per week Exclusion Criteria: Women with high-risk pregnancies or postpartum complications (e.g., severe preeclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage). Participants with diagnosed musculoskeletal or neurological disorders affecting movement. History of pelvic surgery or severe musculoskeletal disorders. Women with diastasis recti exceeding a clinically significant threshold
Where it's running
-
University of Lahore Teaching Hospital, Lahore
Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Rafia Abrar, MSPTW — The University of Lahore, Lahore
- Study coordinator: Rafia Abrar, MSPTW
- Email: rafiaabrar345@gmail.com
- Phone: 03066462413
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
HIFEM (Emsella) to restore pelvic floor strength after a first vaginal birth
This trial tests whether HIFEM (Emsella) treatments can help strengthen pelvic floor muscles in first-time mothers after a vaginal birth who do not have symptoms.
-
Biofeedback-guided pelvic floor rehab for radiation-related sexual dysfunction after cervical cancer
This trial tests whether adding electromyographic biofeedback to pelvic floor exercises helps cervical cancer survivors see improvements in sexual function after radiotherapy.
-
Aerobic exercise and guided imagery for bowel problems after rectal cancer surgery
This study tests whether a program of aerobic exercise plus guided imagery helps people with low anterior resection syndrome after rectal cancer surgery.
-
Effect of shockwave or electromagnetic therapy with pelvic floor training on female sexual dysfunction
This trial tests whether adding shockwave therapy or pulsed electromagnetic field therapy to pelvic floor training helps women with sexual dysfunction.
-
Postpartum pelvic floor recovery and early rehabilitation after vaginal birth
This project tests whether early, individualized pelvic floor muscle training starting 2–3 weeks after a vaginal birth helps people with postpartum pelvic floor symptoms recover better than usual care.
-
Comparing core stabilization (DNS) and pelvic floor exercises for women with stress urinary leakage
This project will test whether a 12-week home program of dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) or pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) reduces stress urinary leakage and improves quality of life for women with SUI.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.