Postpartum Exercise and Return to Fitness: Optimise Readiness for Military Mums (PERFORM)

Last updated: May 26, 2021
Sponsor: Nottingham Trent University
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Pregnancy

Treatment

N/A

Clinical Study ID

NCT04332757
349408
ASC/BA/00665
  • Ages > 18
  • Female
  • Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Summary

The purpose of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of a personalised physical training programme in returning servicewomen to fitness following childbirth. The idea behind the program is to target core and pelvic floor muscles, along with whole body strength and endurance to help servicewomen return to work safely and in a physically fit condition. The study will monitor the response to training using the following measures: urogynaecological measures (e.g., pelvic floor strength, prolapse, urinary incontinence), military specific fitness tests, musculoskeletal health (e.g., muscle and bone mass & function) and mental health and wellbeing.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Serving, pregnant (third trimester) or 0 to 6 weeks postpartum UK MOD Servicewomen.
  2. ≥ 18 years old.
  3. Free from any condition or injury that may affect the individual's ability to performexercise (health screen).
  4. Passed fit to exercise by their GP at their routine 6-week postnatal check-up
  5. Passed fit to participate by a specialist women's health physiotherapist using studyspecific assessment criteria.
  6. Consent to be pregnancy tested before scans at 6 and 24 weeks postpartum.

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. < 18 years old
  2. Diagnosed with post-natal depression or another mental health condition requiringspecialist psychiatric secondary care. Additionally, any participant who is found tohave, or develops over the course of the trial, severe post-natal depression orsuicidal tendencies, will be referred back to their GP.
  3. Injured or suffering from another condition that can affect the individual's abilityto perform exercise.
  4. Not passed fit to exercise by their GP at their routine 6-week postnatal check [usingstandard fitness assessment criteria].
  5. Not passed fit to participate following the women's clinical health assessment [usingstudy specific assessment criteria].
  6. Women who report that they could be pregnant and / or have a positive pregnancy testbefore measurements at 6 and 24 weeks postpartum will not be scanned using DXA orHR-pQCT. They will cease to take any further part in the trial and will be advised tovisit their GP.

Study Design

Total Participants: 30
Study Start date:
July 04, 2019
Estimated Completion Date:
September 20, 2022

Study Description

In an independent groups study design, the aim was to investigate the efficacy of a postpartum physical development programme on core reconnection (i.e., pelvic floor function, core strength/stability and urogynaecological measures), occupational physical performance, musculoskeletal health, and psychological health/wellbeing in servicewomen. Given that policy guidance is urgently needed regarding the safe return of servicewomen to functional occupational fitness, the aim of our proposed research is to inform the appropriate physical preparation of servicewomen in the postpartum period.

Participants at selected sites around the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst will receive usual care/no formal intervention (acting as a control group [CON]) and participants at different sites around Army Headquarters will receive usual care and additionally complete an 18-week phased physical development (rehabilitation and training) programme between weeks 6 and 24 postpartum (acting as the intervention group [INT]). If recruitment numbers are low at the main sites (Aldershot and Tidworth) we will seek to recruit participants to INT from Bulford, Middle Wallop, Larkhill and Marlborough Lines for INT and to CON from Sandhurst, Odiham, Pirbright, Keogh, Minley, Deepcut as well as locations outside of the named INT sites. The geographical separation of sites was deemed to be important for maintaining differences between intervention and control group activity.

The investigators have designed a phased 18-week physical development programme to train both rehabilitative and performance enhancement elements of physical preparation. The rehabilitation element of the programme will specifically target pelvic floor function and core strength and stability (known collectively as Core Reconnection training) from weeks 6 to 24 postpartum, and the training element of the programme will contain resistance and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) from weeks 12 to 24 postpartum

The aim of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of a tailored rehabilitation and physical preparation programme for postpartum women on:

  1. Occupational fitness performance;

  2. Female health assessments (i.e., urinary incontinence, pelvic floor strength);

  3. Musculoskeletal health;

  4. Psychological health and wellbeing.

Connect with a study center

  • Keogh Barracks

    Aldershot, Hampshire GU12 5RQ
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • Station Medical Centre

    Hook, Hampshire RG29 1QT
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • Middle Wallop Medical Centre,

    Stockbridge,, Hampshire SO20 8DY
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • Aldershot Centre for Health,

    Aldershot,, Hampshire, GU11 1AY
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • Minley Medical Centre

    Blackwater, Surrey Gu17 9LP
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • The Princess Royal Barracks

    Deepcut, Surrey GU16 6SQ
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • Elizabeth Barracks

    Pirbright, Surrey GU24 oDT
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • MRS Royal Military Academy

    Camberley,, Surrey, GU15 4PQ
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • Bulford Medical Centre

    Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 9AD
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • Larkhill Medical Centre

    Salisbury,, Wiltshire SP4 8QY
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • Queen Elizabeth Memorial Health Centre

    Tidworth, Wiltshire SP9 7EA
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

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