Effect of Hypo-pressive Exercises and Pelvic Floor Muscle Training in Postpartum Stress Urinary Incontinence Women

NCT ID: NCT07322328

Last Updated: 2026-01-07

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 38 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-12-22
• Study Completion Date: 2026-05-22

Brief Summary

Postpartum stress urinary incontinence is a widespread condition characterized by involuntary loss of urine during physical exertion, such as sneezing, coughing, or lifting heavy weights. Most frequently occur in multiparous women with vaginal delivery, who are obese, constipated, or with low maternal education. Damage to the levator ani muscle complex and adjacent fascia during childbirth affects urethral mobility and consequently results in sphincter insufficiency.

Hypopressive exercises involve breathing techniques that regulate the intra-abdominal pressure. HE has been recently recognized for benefits such as pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength, endurance, postural control, core muscle activation, and respiratory capacity, which efficiently improve symptom severity and quality of life in postpartum women.

Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is a set of frequent voluntary contractions designed to improve strength, coordination, and control. PFMT is considered as standard treatment protocol for urinary incontinence and other postpartum complications.

The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) and the Incontinence Quality of Life (IQOL) are used to assess symptom severity and quality of life, respectively. This study seeks to bridge that gap by evaluating and comparing the outcomes of HE and PFMT in postpartum women experiencing SUI. This research aims to support postpartum recovery, improve women's daily functioning, and enhance their overall well-being.

Conditions

Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI); Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Intervention Group

Hypo-pressive exercises Hypopressive Exercise (HE) training involve ribcage expansion and apnea to generate negative pressure, which in turn activates the deep core and pelvic floor muscles instinctively. By activating type I muscle fibers, it improves postural control, endurance, and coordination

• Frequency: 3 times per week for 6 weeks
• Intensity: moderate intensity (exercises involve submaximal postural and respiratory effort. Focus is on slow breathing, apnea, and postural control)
• Time duration: 20 min/session
• Type: Hypopressive abdominal and postural exercises (includes diaphragmatic breathing, apnea, postural alignment (standing, seated, kneeling), and pelvic floor co-activation)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

hypo-pressive exercise

Intervention Type: OTHER

Hypopressive Exercise (HE) training involve ribcage expansion and apnea to generate negative pressure, which in turn activates the deep core and pelvic floor muscles instinctively. By activating type I muscle fibers, it improves postural control, endurance, and coordination

Control Group

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT) through voluntary contraction and resistance training strengthens pelvic floor musculature. In addition to preventing the weakening of the pelvic muscles, these exercises have the potential to improve control over urine and fecal incontinence

• Frequency times per week for 6 weeks
• Intensity: submaximal voluntary contraction (include both slow holds and quick flicks)
• Time: 20 min/session (each session includes multiple sets of 8 repetitions, hold for 5 seconds, with rest intervals)
• Type: voluntary, isolated pelvic floor contractions (Kegel exercises), (performed in different positions: supine → sitting → standing. Includes both static holds and rhythmic (quick) contractions.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

pelvic floor muscle training

Intervention Type: OTHER

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT) through voluntary contraction and resistance training strengthens pelvic floor musculature. In addition to preventing the weakening of the pelvic muscles, these exercises have the potential to improve control over urine and fecal incontinence

Interventions

hypo-pressive exercise

Hypopressive Exercise (HE) training involve ribcage expansion and apnea to generate negative pressure, which in turn activates the deep core and pelvic floor muscles instinctively. By activating type I muscle fibers, it improves postural control, endurance, and coordination

Intervention Type: OTHER

pelvic floor muscle training

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT) through voluntary contraction and resistance training strengthens pelvic floor musculature. In addition to preventing the weakening of the pelvic muscles, these exercises have the potential to improve control over urine and fecal incontinence

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Women aged between 20 and 40 years old
• Multiparous women
• Postpartum women ≤ 6 months.
• Vaginal deliveries.
• Women diagnosed with stress urinary incontinence within 6 weeks to six months

Exclusion Criteria

• Neurological disorder
• Metabolic issue
• Abdominal and pelvic surgery in previous years
• Mentally retarded
• Pregnant women

• Minimum Eligible Age: 20 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 40 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Lahore University of Biological and Applied Sciences

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Dr. Mehwish Khalid

Effect of hypo-pressive exercises and pelvic floor muscle training on the severity of stress urinary incontinence and quality of life in postpartum women

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Lahore University of Biological and Applied Sciences

Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan

Countries

Pakistan

Central Contacts

umber nawaz, Phd

Role: CONTACT

umber.nawaz@ubas.edu.pk

03334888279

Facility Contacts

mehwish Khalid, Phd Scholar

Role: primary

mehwish.khalid@ubas.edu.pk

03324302282

Role: backup

ismahabib1245@gmail.com

Other Identifiers

U1111-1332-3272

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

DPT/ERB/29

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id