Comparison of Rehabilitation Exercise Protocol (5R) and Swiss Ball Training for Postpartum Pelvic Floor Muscle Dysfunction

Postpartum pelvic floor muscle dysfunction is a common condition affecting many women after childbirth. Weakness or impairment of the pelvic floor muscles can lead to symptoms such as urinary incontinence, pelvic discomfort, and reduced quality of life. Rehabilitation exercises targeting pelvic floor muscles are widely used to restore muscle strength and improve functional outcomes. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a structured Rehabilitation Exercise Protocol (5R) with Swiss ball training in improving pelvic floor muscle function among postpartum women diagnosed with pelvic floor muscle dysfunction. The 5R protocol focuses on progressive rehabilitation strategies including relaxation, recruitment, resistance, repetition, and recovery of pelvic floor muscles. Swiss ball training involves exercises performed on a stability ball that aim to enhance core stability, pelvic control, and muscular coordination. Eligible postpartum women with pelvic floor muscle dysfunction will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive the structured 5R rehabilitation exercise protocol, while the other group will participate in Swiss ball training exercises. Both interventions will be performed for a specified duration under the supervision of trained physiotherapists. Outcome measures will assess pelvic floor muscle strength, functional improvement, and symptom severity before and after the intervention period. The findings of this study may help determine the most effective rehabilitation strategy for improving pelvic floor muscle function and promoting recovery in postpartum women.

NCT Number	NCT07478627
Lead Sponsor	Rafia Abrar
Conditions	Pelvic Floor Muscle Dysfunction
Enrollment	88 participants
Start Date	2026-03-23
Primary Completion	2026-04-23 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-04-25 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-03-17