Effect of core stability exercises on postpartum lumbopelvic pain: A randomized controlled trial

Core stability exercises have been widely advocated for management of patients with different musculoskeletal conditions, even though its effect on postpartum Lumbopelvic Pain (LPP) has not been fully investigated.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of core stability exercises on postpartum LPP.

Thirty four women suffering from postpartum LPP were randomly assigned to the study or control group. The control group (n= 17) received traditional treatment (infrared radiation and continuous ultrasound) on lumbosacral region (L1-S5), whereas the study group (n= 17) received core stability exercises in addition to traditional treatment three sessions a week for six weeks. Pain Pressure Threshold (PPT), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were assessed for all participants in both groups before and after the treatment program.

There was a significant improvement in PPT, VAS and ODI post-treatment compared with the pre-treatment in both groups (p= 0.001). There was a significant improvement in participants who received core stability exercises in addition to traditional treatment as compared to participants treated with the traditional treatment only in PPT (P= 0.001), VAS (P= 0.001) and ODI (P= 0.009).

Core stability exercises in addition to traditional treatment significantly decreased pain and improved function for women with postpartum LPP.