Abdominopelvic Fascial Release for Post-Cesarean Menstrual Pain and Scar Mobility

NCT07717983 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: P.T.REC/012/006452
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 58
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The goal of this randomized controlled clinical trial is to determine whether adding abdominopelvic fascial release to a standardized stretching exercise program is more effective than stretching exercises alone in reducing menstrual pain in women following cesarean section. The study will enroll women aged 20 to 35 years with moderate to severe dysmenorrhea after cesarean delivery. Researchers will compare the effects of abdominopelvic fascial release combined with stretching exercises with stretching exercises alone on menstrual pain and scar mobility. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups, undergo assessments before and after the intervention period, and receive the assigned treatment according to the study protocol.

Conditions

Dysmenorrhea; Cesarean Section; Postoperative Adhesions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Menstrual Pain Intensity

  Menstrual pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), a validated 10-cm scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). The primary outcome is the change in VAS score from baseline to the end of the intervention period.

  Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention period.

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in Cesarean Scar Mobility

  Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention period.

• Change in Dysmenorrhea Severity

  Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention period.

• Change in Pressure Pain Threshold

  Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention period.

Study Arms (2)

Abdominopelvic Fascial Release + Stretching Exercises

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants assigned to the experimental group will receive abdominopelvic fascial release in combination with a standardized stretching exercise program. Abdominopelvic fascial release will be administered for 30 minutes per session, twice weekly for 2 weeks, and the stretching exercise program will be provided for 45 minutes per session, three sessions per week for 4 weeks.

Other: Abdominopelvic fascial Release

Stretching Exercises Alone

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants assigned to the control group will receive a standardized stretching exercise program for 45 minutes per session, three sessions per week for 4 weeks.

Other: Abdominopelvic fascial Release

Interventions

Abdominopelvic fascial Release OTHER

Abdominopelvic fascial release is a manual therapy intervention designed to restore mobility of the abdominal and pelvic fascial tissues by applying sustained, low-load pressure to fascial restrictions. The treatment targets the cesarean scar, abdominal fascia, diaphragm, and psoas muscle to improve fascial mobility, reduce tissue restrictions, alleviate pain, and enhance tissue function. The intervention will be administered for 30 minutes per session, twice weekly for 2 weeks by a licensed physiotherapist.

Abdominopelvic Fascial Release + Stretching Exercises; Stretching Exercises Alone

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Females aged 20 to 35 years.
• History of at least one cesarean section.
• Moderate to severe primary or secondary dysmenorrhea following cesarean section.
• Regular menstrual cycles (21-35 days).
• Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 29.9 kg/m².
• At least 6 months post-cesarean section to allow complete scar healing.
• Presence of restricted cesarean scar mobility on clinical examination.
• Willingness to participate and provide written informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnancy or planned pregnancy during the study period.
• Previous abdominal or pelvic surgery other than cesarean section.
• Endometriosis, adenomyosis, uterine fibroids requiring treatment, or other diagnosed gynecological disorders associated with pelvic pain.
• Active pelvic inflammatory disease or genitourinary infection.
• Neurological or musculoskeletal disorders affecting pain perception or mobility.
• Systemic inflammatory, autoimmune, or connective tissue diseases.
• Current participation in another physical therapy or manual therapy program targeting the abdomen or pelvis.
• Use of corticosteroid injections or other invasive treatments to the abdominal or pelvic region within the previous 3 months.
• Contraindications to manual therapy.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cairo University: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Dysmenorrhea

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Menstruation Disturbances; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Pelvic Pain; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms

Central Study Contacts

Amira I. Hassanein

CONTACT

ahassanein@horus.edu.eg

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Outcome assessments will be performed by an independent assessor who will be blinded to treatment allocation. Participants will be instructed not to disclose their assigned intervention to the assessor. Due to the nature of the interventions, participants and treating therapists cannot be blinded.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Lecturer of Physical Therapy for Women's Health

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to one of two parallel groups. The control group will receive a standardized stretching exercise program, whereas the experimental group will receive myofascial release in addition to the same stretching exercise program. Outcomes will be compared between the two groups following completion of the intervention period.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 16, 2026
• First Posted: July 21, 2026
• Study Start: July 18, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 31, 2026
• Last Updated: July 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07