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CompletedNCT05787158Updated Mar 28, 2023

Effects of Muscle Energy Techniques Versus Core Stability Exercises in Pelvic Girdle Pain

An interventional study of Muscle energy techniques in Pelvic Girdle Pain, sponsored by Riphah International University. Completed at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to participants aged 25 Years to 35 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-03-28.

Sponsored by Riphah International University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 1 year 1 month after the study started (first participant enrolled Feb 2022, registered Mar 2023).
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
57
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
25 Years to 35 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

PGP is referred to as a specific form of LBP which occurs isolatedly as well as in combination with lumbar back pain. PGP localized to the anterior or posterior pelvis, most commonly located between the posterior iliac crest and gluteal folds especially around the SI joint. Pelvic girdle pain radiated to the posterior thigh

Read the detailed description

Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is known to be a musculoskeletal disorders which affects the pelvic bone. PGP is referred to as a specific form of LBP which occurs isolatedly as well as in combination with lumbar back pain. PGP localized to the anterior or posterior pelvis, most commonly located between the posterior iliac crest and gluteal folds especially around the SI joint. Pelvic girdle pain radiated to the posterior thigh. Moreover, it can also cause pain in the symphysis (1). Compared to lower back pain, PGP is substantially more painful and linked with functional limitations as standing, walking, sitting and changing positions are less tolerable in such patients (2). PGP is musculoskeletal in nature and is not caused by gynecological or urological conditions (3). Despite the fact that the cause of PGP is unknown, it is considered that it occurs due to many reasons such as trauma, arthritis, anatomical fault or it can be associated with pregnancy (4

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Conditions studied

  • Pelvic Girdle Pain

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03

In context

Pelvic Girdle Pain

55 studies on the registry are indexed under Pelvic Girdle Pain; 12 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 57 is close to the median of 57 across 39 interventional studies indexed under Pelvic Girdle Pain.

Browse Pelvic Girdle Pain studies →

Lead sponsor

Riphah International University is the lead sponsor of 2,133 studies on the registry; 633 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
25 Years to 35 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Females of 25 to 40 years were included in this study.(20)
  • Female patients who gave birth at least 6 months before.(20)
  • Females who gave birth through vaginal delivery.(20)
  • Females with at least three positive pain provocative tests such as posterior pelvic pain provocation test (P4), active straight leg raise test (ASLR), thigh thrust, Patrick's Faber test, Gaenslen's test and distraction test.(20)
  • History of pain around the pelvic girdle, lower back or between the posterior iliac crest and the gluteal fold, difficulty in walking and/or pain when putting weight on one leg

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Females who suffered from grade 3 or 4 vaginal tears during their pregnancy (20)
  • Females who underwent episiotomy during delivery (20)
  • Females who delivered through caesarean section (20)
  • Postpartum females with a history of trauma to the pelvic region (20)
  • Postpartum females with a history of pelvic surgery
  • Postpartum females with a history of other orthopedic disorders
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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
57 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Group A

    Group A: 20 patients were included in this group. This studygroup was assigned with basic treatment protocol with 15 minutes of TENS and thermal therapy for 10 minutes followed by muscle energy technique (Post facilitation stretching exercises). The intervention was given three days per weekfor six weeks. Each total session lasted for 45minutes. METs were applied for the weakened muscles.

    Other: Muscle energy techniques

  • Active comparator
    Group B

    Group B: 20 Patients of this group were given core stability exercises by the female physical therapist in three different levels. Each level continued for a duration of two weeks in which the patients were trained for the exercises. The patients were provided sessions thrice per week with 2 sets of 10 repetitions and a hold of 10 second after TENS for 15 minutes and thermal therapy for 10 minutes.

    Other: Muscle energy techniques

Interventions

  • OtherMuscle energy techniques

    Group A: 20 patients were included in this group. This studygroup was assigned with basic treatment protocol with 15 minutes of TENS and thermal therapy for 10 minutes followed by muscle energy technique (Post facilitation stretching exercises). The intervention was given three days per weekfor six weeks. Each total session lasted for 45minutes. METs were applied for the weakened muscles. (21). Group B: 20 Patients of this group were given core stability exercises by the female physical therapist in three different levels. Each level continued for a duration of two weeks in which the patients were trained for the exercises. The patients were provided sessions thrice per week with 2 sets of 10 repetitions and a hold of 10 second after TENS for 15 minutes and thermal therapy for 10 minutes

    Also known as: core stability exercises

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALE

    Visual Analogue scale is a numeric scale ranging from 1 to 10. These ranges show the intensity of pain where 1 shows no pain and 10 shows worst pain imaginations. It is a very reliable and valid tool with test-retest reliability of r = 0.96 and validity correlations of 0.86 to 0.95.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  2. OSWESTRY DISABILITY INDEX

    Oswestry Disability Index was calculated in order to find out the disability among patients. ODI evaluates disability related to Activities of Daily Living. This is considered to be the best tool for evaluating low back issues. It encompasses 10 questions with each question scoring five. Questions related to pain, personal care, walking, standing, lifting, sitting, sex life, sleeping, social life and travelling are included. The interpretation shows minimal disability if the patient score is 0-20%, moderate disability if the score is 20-40%, 40 - 60% severe disability, 60 - 80% crippled and 80 - 100 % depicting that the patient is either bed bound or overly expressing the symptoms

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  3. SF - 36

    This questionnaire is used to assess the functional performance in different domains of life like physical, body pain, mental, social and psychological. The questionnaire encompasses questions based on 7 domains of life. The minimum score of SF-36 is 0 which means that the functional performance is worst whereas the highest score is 100 which means that functional performance is best

    Time frame: 12 weeks

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Study locations

1 site
  • Ghurki Trust Teaching Hospital.
    Lahore, Punjab 05499, Pakistan
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References and documents

Publications

  • Thabet AA, Alshehri MA. Efficacy of deep core stability exercise program in postpartum women with diastasis recti abdominis: a randomised controlled trial. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2019 Mar 1;19(1):62-68. PubMed 30839304 ↗
  • Saleh MSM, Botla AMM, Elbehary NAM. Effect of core stability exercises on postpartum lumbopelvic pain: A randomized controlled trial. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2019;32(2):205-213. doi: 10.3233/BMR-181259. PubMed 30282349 ↗
  • Teymuri Z, Hosseinifar M, Sirousi M. The Effect of Stabilization Exercises on Pain, Disability, and Pelvic Floor Muscle Function in Postpartum Lumbopelvic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2018 Dec;97(12):885-891. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000993. PubMed 29979205 ↗
  • Almousa S, Lamprianidou E, Kitsoulis G. The effectiveness of stabilising exercises in pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy and after delivery: A systematic review. Physiother Res Int. 2018 Jan;23(1). doi: 10.1002/pri.1699. Epub 2017 Nov 8. PubMed 29115735 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 28, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05787158
Lead sponsor
Riphah International University
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Mar 28, 2023
Start date
Feb 2, 2022
Primary completion
Dec 30, 2022
Completion
Dec 30, 2022
Last update
Mar 28, 2023

Study contacts

Sobia Kanwal, tDpt
principal investigator · Riphah IU

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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