Comparative Analysis of Hypopressive Versus Core Stability Exercises in Postpartum Women

July 14, 2026 updated by: University of Lahore

A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Comparative Analysis of Hypopressive Versus Core Stability Exercises in Postpartum Women

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of Hypopressive exercises versus Core Stability exercises in restoring pelvic floor and abdominal muscle function in postpartum women. A total of 36 participants are randomly allocated into two groups for a 4-week intervention program to evaluate changes in resting tone and abdominal competence.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

36

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Pakistan
    • Punjab Province
      • Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan, 58000
        • UOL teaching Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Postpartum females within 6 weeks to 6 months delivery.

  • Age between 18 to 45 years.
  • Primiparous or multiparous women.
  • Clinical evidence of pelvic floor muscle weakness or pelvic floor dysfunction.
  • Participants willing to adhere to the 4-week exercise protocol.

Exclusion Criteria:

Recent pelvic or abdominal surgery within the past 6 months (other than uncomplicated cesarean section).

  • History of severe pelvic organ prolapse (Grade III or IV).
  • Active pelvic or urinary tract infections.
  • Neurological disorders affecting muscular control.
  • Any contraindication to physical exercise.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Group A: Hypopressive Exercise Group
Participants in this group received Hypopressive exercises aimed at restoring pelvic floor and abdominal muscle tone. The protocol was performed for 4 weeks, with 3 sessions per week, and each session lasted approximately 30-40 minutes under the supervision of a physical therapist.
Behavioral: Hypopressive Exercises
A 4-week structured core stability program focusing on traditional exercises such as planks, bird-dog, and abdominal bracing to strengthen the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex. Performed 3 days a week, 30-40 minutes per session.
Active Comparator: Group B: Core Stability Exercise Group
Participants in this group received conventional Core Stability exercises focusing on deep abdominal and pelvic core muscles. The protocol was performed for 4 weeks, with 3 sessions per week, and each session lasted approximately 30-40 minutes under the supervision of a physical therapist.
Behavioral: Hypopressive Exercises
A 4-week structured core stability program focusing on traditional exercises such as planks, bird-dog, and abdominal bracing to strengthen the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex. Performed 3 days a week, 30-40 minutes per session.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Inter-recti Distance (IRD)
Time Frame: Baseline and 4 weeks
Measured in centimeters (cm) using rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) to assess the separation between the rectus abdominis muscles. A decrease in IRD indicates improvement in abdominal recovery.
Baseline and 4 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Lahore

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

June 5, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

February 5, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

March 5, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 14, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 14, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

July 17, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 14, 2026

Last Verified

July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • UOL-PT-2026-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will not be shared to maintain participant confidentiality and privacy in accordance with the institutional ethical committee guidelines.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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