Specific muscle stabilizing as home exercises for persistent pelvic girdle pain after pregnancy : a randomized, controlled clinical trial

• Objective: To investigate the efficacy of home-based specific stabilizing exercises focusing on the local stabilizing muscles as the only intervention in the treatment of persistent postpartum pelvic girdle pain (PGP). Design: A prospective, randomized, single-blinded, clinically controlled study. Subjects: Eighty-eight women with PGP were recruited 3 months after delivery. Methods: The treatment consisted of specific stabilizing exercises targeting the local trunk muscles. The reference group had one telephone contact with a physiotherapist. Primary outcome was disability measured with Oswestry Disability Index. Secondary outcomes were pain, health-related quality of life (EQ-5D), symptom satisfaction, and muscle function. Results: No significant differences between groups could be found at 3- or 6-month follow-up regarding primary outcome in disability. Within-group comparisons showed some improvement in both groups in terms of disability, pain, symptom satisfaction and muscle function compared to baseline although the majority still experienced PGP. Conclusion: Treatment with this home-training concept of specific stabilizing exercises targeting the local muscles was no more effective in improving consequences of persistent postpartum PGP than the clinically natural course. Regardless of treatment with specific stabilizing exercises or not, the majority still experiences some back pain almost a year after pregnancy.

Nyckelord

Low back pain; postpartum; physical therapy; exercise therapy

pelvic floor; specific stabilizing exercises; trunk muscles

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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