The Effects of Postpartum Recovery Exercise Program Comparing to Core Stabilization Exercise for Postpartum Women: A Pliot Study

Objective: To investigate the impact of two distinct exercise programs on postpartum women's recovery, focusing on musculoskeletal parameters, spatio-temporal parameters, and body composition. Design: A preliminary experiment involving three groups: Group 1 underwent a 16-week 5R system exercise program designedfor postpartum recovery, Group 2 engaged in regular core stabilization exercises, and Group 3 served as the control, maintainingtheir daily activities without specific exercise. Methods: 8 women within 5 weeks postpartum were randomly allocated into the three groups. Measurements included Inter-RectiDistance (IRD), muscle thickness using ultrasound, muscle strength, trunk flexibility, spatio-temporal parameters during walking,and body composition analysis. Exercise programs were tailored for postpartum recovery and conducted twice a week for 50minutes per session over 16 weeks. Results: Group 1 showed reductions in IRD at all measurement points, while muscle thickness varied across groups, indicatingdistinct muscle activation. Increases in muscle strength were observed across groups, but statistical significance was not reached. Group 1 exhibited improvements in lumbar lordosiswithout statistical significance, and spatio-temporal parameters showed slightchanges post-exercise without statistical significance. Weight reduction were observed in exercise groups, while Group 3displayed a minor weight increase, though statistically insignificant. Conclusions: The exercise programs, particularly the 5R system, are expected to have a positive impact on postpartummusculoskeletal recovery. Improvements in IRD, muscle thickness, and trunk flexibility were observed, emphasizing the potentialbenefits of tailored exercise interventions. However, larger sample sizes and more targeted assessments are needed to validatethese findings and determine the effectiveness of specific exercise programs in postpartum rehabilitation.