The Effectiveness of an Online Exercise Program on Well-being of Postpartum Women

NCT06268782 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 1204202118
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 308
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this quasi-experimental study was to assess the effectiveness of a 6-week online exercise program on self-assessed quality of life (QoL), physical activity (PA), and dysfunctions of pelvic floor muscles of postpartum women immediately and 6 months after the online intervention. The data were collected with e-questionnaires. The data collection started in September 2021 and ended in September 2023.

Conditions

Quality of Life; Physical Activity; Urinary Incontinence; Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Keywords

digital health intervention; ehealth; exercise; mother; physical activity; postpartum; quality of life; urinary incontinence; pelvic organ prolapse

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Quality of Life

  The primary outcome, quality of life, was measured with The World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) instrument. The WHOQOL-BREF is a 26-item assessment instrument, which purpose is to assess individuals' perceptions of their position in life relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns. The first two items of WHOQOL-BREF measure the overall QoL and general health. The rest of the items of WHOQOL-BREF are divided into four different domains: physical health (7 items), psychological health (6 items), social relationships (3 items), and environment (8 items). Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale (a low score of 1 to a high score of 5). Data were analyzed according to the scoring guideline. During the data processing, the raw item score of each domain was calculated, and then the domain raw scores were converted to a scale from 0 to 100, where a higher score represented a higher QoL.

  From enrollment to the end of follow-up period 6 months after the intervention

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Physical activity

  From enrollment to the end of follow-up period 6 months after the intervention

• Urinary incontinence

  From enrollment to the end of follow-up period 6 months after the intervention

• Pelvic organ prolapse

  From enrollment to the end of follow-up period 6 months after the intervention

Study Arms (1)

The intervention group

EXPERIMENTAL

All participants belonged to the intervention group. The participants were asked to answer for the pretest questionnaire before the intervention, then accomplish the six-week intervention, answer to the posttest questionnaire after the intervention and answer to the follow-up questionnaire six months after the intervention.

Behavioral: Rehabilitate your core

Interventions

Rehabilitate your core BEHAVIORAL

The intervention was an online exercise program \"Rehabilitate your core,\" designed for postpartum women by a company called Nordic Fit Mama. Its primary goal is to fortify the core and pelvic floor muscles to enhance the recovery process after childbirth, while also emphasizing overall well-being. The program is accessible through a website and is intended to be completed independently over a span of 6 weeks. Each week focuses on a specific theme, encompassing six to seven subtopics. The regimen follows a progressive structure, starting with the identification of pelvic floor and core muscles and gradually advancing to exercises aimed at strengthening them. The exercises, which last around 10 minutes each, are tailored to integrate seamlessly into daily life. Comprising 25 instructional exercise videos and 13 guidance videos, the program only necessitates access to a device for logging into the platform.

The intervention group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• a maximum of 2 years from the last birth
• a complete postnatal examination (usually 5-12 weeks after birth)
• the ability to pay for access to the online exercise program
• fluency in Finnish

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Turku: lead
• Finnish Cultural Foundation: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku

Turku, 20014, Finland

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity; Urinary Incontinence; Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior; Urination Disorders; Urologic Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Urogenital Diseases; Male Urogenital Diseases; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms; Urological Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Prolapse; Pathological Conditions, Anatomical

Study Officials

• Anna Axelin, PhD

  University of Turku

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Doctoral researcher

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 12, 2024
• First Posted: February 20, 2024
• Study Start: September 21, 2021
• Primary Completion: January 24, 2023
• Study Completion: September 19, 2023
• Last Updated: February 22, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

FI (1)