Postpartum Exercise and Return to Fitness: Optimise Readiness for Military Mums (PERFORM)

NCT ID: NCT04332757

Last Updated: 2021-05-28

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

30 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2019-07-04

Study Completion Date

2022-09-20

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of a personalised physical training programme in returning servicewomen to fitness following childbirth. The idea behind the program is to target core and pelvic floor muscles, along with whole body strength and endurance to help servicewomen return to work safely and in a physically fit condition. The study will monitor the response to training using the following measures: urogynaecological measures (e.g., pelvic floor strength, prolapse, urinary incontinence), military specific fitness tests, musculoskeletal health (e.g., muscle and bone mass \& function) and mental health and wellbeing.

Detailed Description

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In an independent groups study design, the aim was to investigate the efficacy of a postpartum physical development programme on core reconnection (i.e., pelvic floor function, core strength/stability and urogynaecological measures), occupational physical performance, musculoskeletal health, and psychological health/wellbeing in servicewomen. Given that policy guidance is urgently needed regarding the safe return of servicewomen to functional occupational fitness, the aim of our proposed research is to inform the appropriate physical preparation of servicewomen in the postpartum period.

Participants at selected sites around the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst will receive usual care/no formal intervention (acting as a control group \[CON\]) and participants at different sites around Army Headquarters will receive usual care and additionally complete an 18-week phased physical development (rehabilitation and training) programme between weeks 6 and 24 postpartum (acting as the intervention group \[INT\]). If recruitment numbers are low at the main sites (Aldershot and Tidworth) we will seek to recruit participants to INT from Bulford, Middle Wallop, Larkhill and Marlborough Lines for INT and to CON from Sandhurst, Odiham, Pirbright, Keogh, Minley, Deepcut as well as locations outside of the named INT sites. The geographical separation of sites was deemed to be important for maintaining differences between intervention and control group activity.

The investigators have designed a phased 18-week physical development programme to train both rehabilitative and performance enhancement elements of physical preparation. The rehabilitation element of the programme will specifically target pelvic floor function and core strength and stability (known collectively as Core Reconnection training) from weeks 6 to 24 postpartum, and the training element of the programme will contain resistance and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) from weeks 12 to 24 postpartum

The aim of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of a tailored rehabilitation and physical preparation programme for postpartum women on:

1. Occupational fitness performance;
2. Female health assessments (i.e., urinary incontinence, pelvic floor strength);
3. Musculoskeletal health;
4. Psychological health and wellbeing.

Conditions

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Postpartum Period

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

An independent group design with participants at one site receiving usual care/no formal intervention (acting as a control group \[CON\]) and participants at a second site receiving usual care and additionally completing an 18-week phased physical development (rehabilitation and training) programme between weeks 6 and 24 postpartum (acting as the intervention group \[INT\]).
Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Training Intervention

18-week physical development programme to train both rehabilitative and performance enhancement elements of physical preparation.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Training intervention.

Intervention Type OTHER

The investigators have designed a phased 18-week physical development programme to train both rehabilitative and performance enhancement elements of physical preparation. The rehabilitation element of the programme will specifically target pelvic floor function and core strength and stability (known collectively as Core Reconnection training) from weeks 6 to 24 postpartum, and the training element of the programme will contain resistance and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) from weeks 12 to 24 postpartum.

Usual care control

Usual care acting as a control group.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Training intervention.

The investigators have designed a phased 18-week physical development programme to train both rehabilitative and performance enhancement elements of physical preparation. The rehabilitation element of the programme will specifically target pelvic floor function and core strength and stability (known collectively as Core Reconnection training) from weeks 6 to 24 postpartum, and the training element of the programme will contain resistance and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) from weeks 12 to 24 postpartum.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Serving, pregnant (third trimester) or 0 to 6 weeks postpartum UK MOD Servicewomen.
2. ≥ 18 years old.
3. Free from any condition or injury that may affect the individual's ability to perform exercise (health screen).
4. Passed fit to exercise by their GP at their routine 6-week postnatal check-up
5. Passed fit to participate by a specialist women's health physiotherapist using study specific assessment criteria.
6. Consent to be pregnancy tested before scans at 6 and 24 weeks postpartum.

Exclusion Criteria

1. \< 18 years old
2. Diagnosed with post-natal depression or another mental health condition requiring specialist psychiatric secondary care. Additionally, any participant who is found to have, or develops over the course of the trial, severe post-natal depression or suicidal tendencies, will be referred back to their GP.
3. Injured or suffering from another condition that can affect the individual's ability to perform exercise.
4. Not passed fit to exercise by their GP at their routine 6-week postnatal check \[using standard fitness assessment criteria\].
5. Not passed fit to participate following the women's clinical health assessment \[using study specific assessment criteria\].
6. Women who report that they could be pregnant and / or have a positive pregnancy test before measurements at 6 and 24 weeks postpartum will not be scanned using DXA or HR-pQCT. They will cease to take any further part in the trial and will be advised to visit their GP.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Nottingham

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Robert Gordon University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Stirling

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role collaborator

Clare Pacey Physiotherapy Limited

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Nottingham Trent University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Craig Sale

Professor of Human Physiology, Director of the Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement Research Centre

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Craig Sale, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Nottingham Trent University

Kirsty Elliott-Sale, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Nottingham Trent University

Locations

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Aldershot Centre for Health,

Aldershot, Hampshire,, United Kingdom

Site Status RECRUITING

Keogh Barracks

Aldershot, Hampshire, United Kingdom

Site Status RECRUITING

Station Medical Centre

Hook, Hampshire, United Kingdom

Site Status RECRUITING

Middle Wallop Medical Centre,

Stockbridge, Hampshire, United Kingdom

Site Status RECRUITING

MRS Royal Military Academy

Camberley, Surrey,, United Kingdom

Site Status RECRUITING

Minley Medical Centre

Blackwater, Surrey, United Kingdom

Site Status RECRUITING

The Princess Royal Barracks

Deepcut, Surrey, United Kingdom

Site Status RECRUITING

Elizabeth Barracks

Pirbright, Surrey, United Kingdom

Site Status RECRUITING

Larkhill Medical Centre

Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Site Status RECRUITING

Bulford Medical Centre

Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Site Status RECRUITING

Queen Elizabeth Memorial Health Centre

Tidworth, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United Kingdom

Central Contacts

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Craig Sale, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+44(0)115 848 3505

Kirsty Elliott-Sale, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+44(0)115 848 6338

Facility Contacts

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Elaine Walker

Role: primary

01980 650640

Elaine Walker

Role: primary

01980 650640

Elaine Walker

Role: primary

01980 650640

Elaine Walker

Role: primary

01980 650640

Elaine Walker

Role: primary

01980 650640

Elaine Walker

Role: primary

01980 650640

Elaine Walker

Role: primary

01980 650640

Elaine Walker

Role: primary

01980 650640

Elaine Walker

Role: primary

01980 650640

Elaine Walker

Role: primary

01980 650640

Elaine S Walker

Role: primary

01980 650640

References

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Elliott-Sale KJ, Bostock EL, Jackson T, Wardle SL, O'Leary TJ, Greeves JP, Sale C. Investigating the Efficacy of an 18-Week Postpartum Rehabilitation and Physical Development Intervention on Occupational Physical Performance and Musculoskeletal Health in UK Servicewomen: Protocol for an Independent Group Study Design. JMIR Res Protoc. 2022 Jun 1;11(6):e32315. doi: 10.2196/32315.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 35648463 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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ASC/BA/00665

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

349408

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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