Pilates Exercises on Nonspecific Low Back Pain in Postnatal Women

The Effect of Pilates Exercises on Nonspecific Low Back Pain in Postnatal Women

This study aims to investigate the effects of Pilates for postnatal women with Non-specific low back pain (NSLBP).

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Low Back Pain; Pilates Exercises; Nonspecific; Postnatal Women
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Pilates program + Home exercise program; Other: Home exercise program

Detailed Description

Low back pain (LBP) is of high prevalence among adults, which can be related to factors such as sedentary lifestyle, being overweight or work conditions.

Non-specific LBP (NSLBP) is defined as pain in the lower back region that cannot be attributed to a recognizable, specific pathology such as infection, fracture, or nerve root compression.

Pilates exercises focus on improving core stability, flexibility, posture, and body awareness through controlled, precise movements. The integration of breathing techniques and concentration enhances the mind-body connection, which can contribute to pain reduction and functional improvement. For individuals with LBP, Pilates has been shown to improve strength and flexibility, reduce pain intensity, and enhance overall physical function, making it a promising intervention for managing musculoskeletal disorders.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 48
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Eman M Elsheikh, MBBCH; Phone Number: 00201009094244; Email: emanelshiekh858@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Kafrelsheikh
    • Kafr ash Shaykh, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt, 33516
      • Recruiting
      • Kafrelsheikh University (Faculty of Physical Therapy)
      • Sub-Investigator: Fayiz F Elshamy, MD
      • Sub-Investigator: Muhammad F AbdulGalil, MD
      • Sub-Investigator: Mostafa F Ellakany, MD
      • Contact: Eman M Elsheikh, MBBCH; Phone Number: 00201009094244; Email: emanelshiekh858@gmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ranges from 20 and 30 years old.
• Body mass index (BMI) doesn't exceed 30 kg/m2.
• Patients who are referred from a gynecologist with a diagnosis of nonspecific low back pain.
• Patients who have pain for more than three months.
• Patients who have parity ranging from one to three (to control the extreme physiological changes from multiple childbirths, ensuring a more uniform sample).
• Patients who have score more than 4 on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Mechanical low back pain (LBP).
• Women who had performed any spinal surgery e.g. unilateral hemilaminectomy or microdiscectomy.
• Women with history of vertebral fracture or trauma.
• Women with systemic disorder e.g. diabetes mellitus.
• Women who are pregnant.
• Women who had received physiotherapy treatment for their LBP one month before the start of this study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Group (A) (Study group): Patients will do a comprehensive exercise consisting of a home exercise program (bridges, bridge with leg extension (bridge dog), back extensions, spine twist, and child's pose), a Pilates program, and oral paracetamol as needed for pain relief.	Other: Pilates program + Home exercise program; Patients will do a comprehensive exercise consisting of a home exercise program (bridges, bridge with leg extension (bridge dog), back extensions, spine twist, and child's pose), a Pilates program, and oral paracetamol as needed for pain relief.
Active Comparator: Group (B) (Control group); Patients will perform a home-based exercise program consisting solely of postural correction exercises.	Other: Home exercise program; Patients will perform a home-based exercise program consisting solely of postural correction exercises.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pain Intensity	Pain Intensity will be assessed using Visual Analog Scale (VAS). VAS (0 represents "no pain" while 10 represents "the worst pain imaginable").	3 months post-procedure

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Assessment of pain pressure threshold	Pain pressure threshold (PPT) will be determined using a handheld electronic pressure algometer with a 1 cm2 probe area with an increasing of the pressure rate of 20 Kpa/s. The pressure algometer consists of a "pistol" handle and a rod with a pressure-sensitive gauge strain at the tip.	3 months post-procedure
Assessment of functional disability	Oswestry Disability Index will be used to assess functional disability. It is a self-assessing questionnaire for low back pain, which includes 10 items; each contains six levels of answers ranging from 0-5. Its items include pain intensity, personal care, lifting objects, walking, sitting, standing, sleeping, sex life, social life, and travelling. A total score is calculated, divided by 50, and multiplied by 100. It ranges from 0% indicating no disability to 100% indicating complete disability.	3 months post-procedure
Assessment of the quality of life	Quality of life (QOL) will be assessed using SF-36 Questionnaire. SF-36 questionnaire consists of thirty-six questions measuring PH components (physical function, role physic, bodily pain, general health and MH components (vitality, social functioning, role emotion, general mental health). The response for each item was scored from 0-100, and the mean score of each domain was calculated. Lower score implied poor QoL, whereas higher score indicated excellent QoL.	3 months post-procedure

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Kafrelsheikh University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 22, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 14, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 14, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): January 22, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 23, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 22, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Back Pain; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Low Back Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: KFSIRB200-686

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: The data will be available upon a reasonable request from the corresponding author after the end of study for one year.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: After the end of study for one year.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: The data will be available upon a reasonable request from the corresponding author.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No