The Effects of Pelvic Floor Muscle Training Applied With the Telerehabilitation Method in the Postpartum Period

Summary

Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is routinely recommended to treat and prevent pelvic floor symptoms in the postpartum period. However, due to the high cost, remoteness of the location, and responsibilities of the baby, women cannot participate in PFMT whenever and wherever they want. Telerehabilitation (TR) may be an effective method to facilitate women's access to PFMT. Therefore, our study aims to compare the short and medium-term effects of PFMT applied with the TR method on pelvic floor symptoms, symptom-related quality of life and pelvic floor muscle function with supervised PFMT. This randomized controlled study was conducted at Yeditepe University Hospital Bağdat Street Polyclinic Pelvic Floor Center and online synchronous platform on women aged 18-35 and between the 6th and 8th weeks postpartum. Participants were randomly assigned to the synchronized PFMT performed with the telerehabilitation method (TR-PFMT) group and the supervised PFMT (S-PFMT) group. The same PFMT program was carried out in both groups for 45-50 minutes, 2 days a week for 8 weeks, by two physiotherapists specialized experienced in the pelvic floor. The program was carried out via a synchronous online platform (Skype™ program) in the TR-PFMT group, and as a face-to-face session in the S-PFMT group. Participants' pelvic floor symptoms were evaluated with the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20), symptom-related quality of life was evaluated with the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 (PFIQ-7), and pelvic floor muscle function was evaluated with superficial electromyography. Evaluations were made 3 times in total: before the exercise program, after the exercise program and at the 8th week after the exercise program (6th month postpartum).

Conditions

• Pelvic Floor Disorders
• Postpartum Disorder
• Quality of Life
• Mothers

Interventions

OTHER

Pelvic floor muscle training

The PFMT program was carried out for 45-50 minutes, 2 days a week for 8 weeks, by two physiotherapists specialized experienced in the pelvic floor. The program consisted of education, diaphragm breathing exercises, pelvic mobility exercises, exercises to strengthen and stretch the pelvic floor muscles and other muscles related to the pelvis. In addition, the participants were expected to do the same exercises at home 2 days a week.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Biruni University

  collaborator OTHER

• Yeditepe University

  collaborator OTHER

• Fenerbahce University

  collaborator OTHER

• Izmir Tinaztepe University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Arzu Razak Özdinçler, PT, PhD, Prof. · Fenerbahçe University

• Damla Korkmaz Dayıcan, PT, PhD (c) · İzmir Tınaztepe University

• Burçin Özyürek, PT, PhD (c) · Yeditepe University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

35 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-12-30

Primary Completion

2023-11-30

Completion

2024-01-30

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations