5R rehabilitation versus Swiss ball exercises for postpartum pelvic floor recovery
Comparison of Rehabilitation Exercise Protocol (5R) and Swiss Ball Training for Postpartum Pelvic Floor Muscle Dysfunction
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
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 88 (estimated) |
| Ages | 20 Years to 40 Years |
| Sex | Female |
| Sponsor | University of Lahore Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Lahore, Punjab Province) |
| Trial ID | NCT07478627 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
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.
Who should consider this trial
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.
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.
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 performed: 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.
Eligibility criteria
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 this trial is running
Lahore, Punjab Province
- 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
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.