Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 15, 2026
An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain PPOP
Published on: January 27, 2010
The Effect of Acupressure Applied in the Postpartum Weeks 1 and 4 After Cesarean Delivery on Back Pain: A Randomized
Mukerrem Sisman1, Sena Dilek Aksoy2
1Midwife, Kandıra District Health Directorate, Kocaeli, Turkey.
Background:
In the early-subacute postpartum period, low-back pain is common due to frequent breastfeeding, suboptimal feeding postures, and increasing infant-carrying load, yet it often receives limited clinical attention.
Objective:
To examine whether acupressure at postpartum weeks 1 and 4 reduces low-back pain after cesarean delivery.
Design:
Prospective, parallel-group randomized controlled trial. Participant/provider blinding was not feasible for a manual intervention; data analysis was blinded.
Participants:
Post-cesarean women (n=70) attending routine visits at a family health center in northwest Türkiye were randomized 1:1 to acupressure (n=35) or control (n=35).
Intervention:
A 10-minute standardized protocol per visit: LI4, HT2, LI11, and ST36 applied bilaterally in sequence (1 minute per side), and GB21 and UB43 applied bilaterally and simultaneously (1 minute per pair). Controls received usual care.
Primary Outcome Measures:
Visual analog scale (VAS) low-back pain at each visit (pre/post within the acupressure arm; a single, visit-matched assessment in controls). Nonparametric analyses were prespecified.
Results:
Immediately following the intervention, back pain in the acupressure group was less compared to the control group in the first and fourth weeks postpartum (P < .001). Across the postpartum window, the pattern was clear: in the control group, pre-session VAS increased from week 1 to week 4 (P < .001), reflecting the common trend of worsening back pain over time. In the acupressure group, VAS decreased immediately from pre- to post-session at both visits (P < .001 at week 1 and week 4), indicating consistent, session-linked relief.
Conclusion:
A brief, standardized acupressure protocol delivered during routine postpartum care provides immediate relief to low-back pain after cesarean and appears feasible as a nonpharmacologic adjunct to usual care. Key limitations include the absence of a sham control, short follow-up without durability assessment, and no measurement of analgesic use; future trials should address these gaps.
Keywords:
acupressure, back pain, cesarean section, postpartum period, women.
