Study on the Effect of WAFF Pelvic and Abdominal Mechanics Exercises During the Puerperium on Postpartum Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation for Parturients

Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College

Status: Completed

Conditions: Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions

Treatments: Behavioral: Rehabilitation Group

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06697639

1-24PJ1196

Details and patient eligibility

About

Ethics Review Committee, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

Currently, in order to improve women's health throughout their entire life cycle, postpartum rehabilitation for parturients has received significant attention.

Currently, clinical postpartum rehabilitation mostly adopts a combined treatment of Kegel exercises, physical electrical stimulation, and biofeedback therapy. Kegel exercises can be applied during the puerperium. However, studies have found that some parturients find it difficult to locate the muscle contraction sensation during exercise, resulting in poor technique and effectiveness; furthermore, the training process is boring and difficult to maintain. Physical electrical stimulation and biofeedback therapy have significant therapeutic effects, but this treatment should be initiated after the puerperium and requires hospital visits, often leading to discontinuation due to long distances and time-consuming commutes.

Many experts domestically and internationally have stated that earlier postpartum rehabilitation leads to better outcomes. However, studies show that only a small percentage of patients are aware of the correct timing for postpartum rehabilitation and are able to undergo rehabilitation exercises during the puerperium. Most current studies initiate postpartum rehabilitation training from 6 to 8 weeks postpartum, with relatively few reports on pelvic and abdominal muscle training during the puerperium.

Therefore, we have introduced French WAFF pelvic and abdominal mechanical exercises and applied them to the rehabilitation of women during the puerperium. WAFF pelvic and abdominal mechanical exercises are safer, more precise, and more convenient, utilizing the instability created by the WAFF air cushion to stimulate patients' self-regulatory movements, thereby achieving a tighter core and deeper muscle groups to improve training efficiency.

Currently, the application of WAFF pelvic and abdominal mechanical exercises in China is still in the preliminary exploratory stage, and a unified and mature rehabilitation model has not yet been established. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of applying WAFF pelvic and abdominal mechanical exercises during the puerperium to improve postpartum rectus abdominis diastasis and pelvic floor dysfunction. It provides a basis for establishing a new model of puerperium rehabilitation and improving continuous obstetrical nursing.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• primipara
• Singleton pregnancy
• With full cognitive and behavioral abilities, and voluntarily participating

Exclusion criteria

• Neonate with a birth weight of >4000g
• Second-degree or higher perineal tear
• Poor healing of perineal wounds
• Individuals with severe hypertension, impaired cardiopulmonary function, and neurological diseases
• History of previous pelvic floor disorders and urogenital surgeries
• Individuals engaging in other exercises such as yoga during the puerperium

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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60 participants in 2 patient groups

Rehabilitation Group

Experimental group

Description:

In addition to routine postpartum care, small-sized WAFF air cushions will be issued during the hospitalization period to guide patients in performing the WAFF pelvic-abdominal mechanical rehabilitation exercises. Patients will also be instructed to join the experimental group's WeChat group. After discharge, researchers will upload WAFF pelvic-abdominal mechanical rehabilitation instructional videos. Patients are required to complete their rehabilitation exercises twice daily, each session lasting 10-15 minutes. Patients need to upload their exercise videos twice a week, and researchers will provide motion guidance based on the video content until the patient's postpartum follow-up examination. The abdominal rectus muscle, pelvic floor muscle function, and adherence to rehabilitation exercises will be assessed for patients in both groups at 6-8 weeks and 6 months postpartum.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Rehabilitation Group

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

During hospitalization, routine postpartum education and discharge instructions will be provided, including the distribution of promotional brochures and guidance on performing puerperium recovery exercises. Patients will be instructed to join the control group's WeChat group. After discharge, researchers will upload instructional videos for the recovery exercises and urge patients to perform the postpartum recovery exercises twice daily, each session lasting 10-15 minutes. Patients are required to upload their exercise videos twice a week, and researchers will provide motion guidance based on the video content until the patient's postpartum follow-up examination.