An interventional study of Abdominopelvic fascial Release in Dysmenorrhea, Cesarean Section and Postoperative Adhesions, sponsored by Cairo University. Not yet recruiting. Open to female participants aged 20 Years to 35 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-04.
Sponsored by Cairo University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The goal of this randomized controlled clinical trial is to determine whether adding abdominopelvic fascial release to a standardized stretching exercise program is more effective than stretching exercises alone in reducing menstrual pain in women following cesarean section. The study will enroll women aged 20 to 35 years with moderate to severe dysmenorrhea after cesarean delivery. Researchers will compare the effects of abdominopelvic fascial release combined with stretching exercises with stretching exercises alone on menstrual pain and scar mobility. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups, undergo assessments before and after the intervention period, and receive the assigned treatment according to the study protocol.
Cesarean section is one of the most commonly performed obstetric surgical procedures worldwide. Although it is frequently necessary to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes, postoperative healing may result in scar formation and fascial adhesions that can contribute to persistent menstrual pain, chronic pelvic pain, reduced scar mobility, abdominal tenderness, and impaired physical function. Fascial restrictions may alter tissue mobility and biomechanics, leading to pain and functional limitations.
Abdominopelvic fascial release is a manual therapy technique that applies sustained, low-load pressure to restricted fascial tissues to restore tissue mobility, improve fascial gliding, reduce pain, and enhance tissue function. Previous studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of fascial release on postoperative scar mobility, pain, and functional recovery; however, evidence regarding its effectiveness in women with menstrual pain following cesarean section remains limited.
The purpose of this prospective, randomized controlled trial is to evaluate whether the addition of abdominopelvic fascial release to a standardized stretching exercise program provides greater clinical benefit than a stretching exercise program alone in women with post-cesarean dysmenorrhea. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups and evaluated before and after completion of the intervention period using predefined clinical outcome measures.
The findings of this study are expected to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of abdominopelvic fascial release as a non-pharmacological physical therapy intervention for reducing menstrual pain and improving scar mobility following cesarean section. The results may support the integration of fascial release techniques into postpartum rehabilitation programs and contribute to evidence-based physical therapy management for women with post-cesarean pain and scar-related dysfunction.
430 studies on the registry are indexed under Dysmenorrhea; 107 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 58 is close to the median of 62 across 363 interventional studies indexed under Dysmenorrhea.
Browse Dysmenorrhea studies →Cairo University is the lead sponsor of 4,941 studies on the registry; 1,458 are open to participants now.
Of its 37 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 5 (14%) have results posted.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
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You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
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A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Autoimmune disease
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants assigned to the experimental group will receive abdominopelvic fascial release in combination with a standardized stretching exercise program. Abdominopelvic fascial release will be administered for 30 minutes per session, twice weekly for 2 weeks, and the stretching exercise program will be provided for 45 minutes per session, three sessions per week for 4 weeks.
Other: Abdominopelvic fascial Release
Participants assigned to the control group will receive a standardized stretching exercise program for 45 minutes per session, three sessions per week for 4 weeks.
Other: Abdominopelvic fascial Release
Abdominopelvic fascial release is a manual therapy intervention designed to restore mobility of the abdominal and pelvic fascial tissues by applying sustained, low-load pressure to fascial restrictions. The treatment targets the cesarean scar, abdominal fascia, diaphragm, and psoas muscle to improve fascial mobility, reduce tissue restrictions, alleviate pain, and enhance tissue function. The intervention will be administered for 30 minutes per session, twice weekly for 2 weeks by a licensed physiotherapist.
Change in Menstrual Pain Intensity
Menstrual pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), a validated 10-cm scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). The primary outcome is the change in VAS score from baseline to the end of the intervention period.
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention period.
Change in Cesarean Scar Mobility
Scar mobility will be assessed using an adheremeter. Greater mobility values indicate improved scar tissue mobility.
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention period.
Change in Dysmenorrhea Severity
Dysmenorrhea severity will be assessed using the Working ability, Location, Intensity, Days of pain, and Dysmenorrhea (WaLIDD) Score. The total score ranges from 0 to 12, with higher scores indicating more severe dysmenorrhea.
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention period.
Change in Pressure Pain Threshold
Pressure pain threshold will be assessed using a pressure algometer over the abdominal region.
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention period.
No study locations are listed for this record.
Start is estimated for Jul 2026; primary completion for Sep 2026, 2 months later.
Of 178 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Dysmenorrhea, half reached primary completion within 8 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 4 and three quarters within 16. This study's planned 2 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 188 studies reached it within 8 months; a quarter within 3 and three quarters within 16.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jul 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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