A Pre and Postnatal Physical Therapy Protocol for Recreational Athletes: A Case Series.
Rachel Selman, Kate S Early
PMID 39100934WHAT IT FOUND
All six recreational athlete mothers returned to desired running or group fitness without pain, urinary dysfunction, or prolapse and improved function and urinary distress scores after physical therapy visits, a home exercise program, and individualized pelvic floor care.
Key findings
01All six participants were participating in desired exercise programs without pain, urinary dysfunction, or prolapse at discharge.
02All six participants improved LEFS, UDI and MOMMT scores at discharge.
03The average LEFS improved by 28 points and the average UDI improved by 53 points.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
This was a case series of six women, not a controlled comparison, so it cannot show the program caused the improvements. The sample was small and limited to low-risk pregnancies with vaginal delivery, so it says little about cesarean delivery or grade 4 perineal tearing. Participants entered at different points in pregnancy and had different baseline symptoms, and care was individualized by one specialized therapist, making it hard to separate the protocol from clinician expertise. The authors state the prenatal exercise component could not be determined by this design.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the score improvements as proof that this protocol causes better postpartum outcomes. It was a case series of six low-risk women with no control group, and the authors state cause and effect cannot be assumed.