Effect of home based tele pilates on pelvic girdle pain and lumbo pelvic stability among pregnant women – A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Introduction. Pelvic girdle pain is one of the common musculoskeletal problems in pregnancy, resulting from hormonal variations and biomechanical alterations in the muscles that support lumbo-pelvic stability. The Pilates method, which includes mind-body approaches and focuses on core strength, provides relief from pelvic pain. In recent years, tele-rehabilitation has emerged as one of the most popular solutions in clinical practice. Aim. To find out the effect of home-based Tele Pilates on pelvic girdle pain and lumbo-pelvic stability among pregnant women. Materials and methods. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in Sri Ramachandra Hospital, Chennai, from January 2023 to June 2023. Pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain from 20-30 weeks of gestation were screened and randomly divided into a Pilates exercise group (n = 19) and a control group (n = 19). Subjects in the Pilates group followed the exercise thrice a week for eight weeks. Subjects in the control group followed standardized antenatal exercises and education. The outcome measures used were Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain level, Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire (PGQ) for functional disability, and Pressure Biofeedback for lumbo-pelvic stability. Mann-Whitney test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, and ‘t’ test were performed to examine the pain score, Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire, and the lumbo-pelvic stability. Results. Baseline parameters are similar and comparable. (p < 0.05). Between-group analysis revealed that the experimental group showed improvement in the pain and disability with a significant difference (p ≤ 0.001). Both groups showed significant improvement in lumbo-pelvic stability in the within-group analysis (p < 0.001). Conclusion. Home-based tele Pilates (HTPE) can be recommended as an effective and safe method for decreasing pain levels and improving lumbo-pelvic stability among pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain.