COMBINED EFFECTS OF PELVIC FLOOR ACTIVATION EXERCISES AND BENSON RELAXATION TECHNIQUE ON PAIN, URINARY INCONTINENCE AND FUNCTIONAL ABILITY AMONG POST– CESAREAN PATIENTS

To determine the combined effects of pelvic floor activation exercises and Benson relaxation technique on pain, urinary incontinence and functional ability among postcesarean patients.

It will Single blinded randomized clinical trial with parallel group design. 30 Participants will be allocated to two groups equally.

Arif Memorial Teaching Hospital

Inclusion Criteria • Women aged 20 to 42 at 7 to 14 weeks after delivery or cesarean section Experiencing pain in the pelvic region post-cesarean section. • Patient's BMI did not surpass 30 kg/m2 primiparous and mild-degree SUI • Presented with symptoms of urinary incontinence. • Patients who were not currently undergoing any other specific pelvic floor rehabilitation program. Exclusion Criteria • Individuals with cognitive impairments or communication difficulties that may hinder participation in the study. • Patients with active infections or complications related to the cesarean section incision site. • Patients with severe medical conditions that may limit their ability to perform the prescribed exercises or relaxation techniques. Patients undergoing treatment for pelvic floor issues with interventions that may interfere with the study outcomes. presence of hypertension, diabetes, genital prolapse, and smoking.

Group A will receive Pelvic floor activation exercises with Benson relaxation technique. Pelvic floor activation exercises will be performed for 4 weeks and five times in a week. Group B will receive Pelvic floor activation exercises only. Benson relaxation technique will be performed for 4 weeks and five times in a week.

Pain: Numeric pain rating scale Urinary incontinence: International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form Functional ability: Functional Independence Measure

Random computer number generator will be used for randomization. Assign unique identification numbers to participants, then use a reliable software tool to generate a list of random numbers. Match these numbers to participant IDs and allocate individuals to different study groups based on the sorted random numbers. Ensure that the randomization process is concealed and documented for transparency and integrity.

Single blinding in a study involves keeping the outcome assessor blind to the intervention received by the participants. This helps to minimize bias in assessing the study outcomes. To achieve single blinding, the outcome assessor is not informed about the treatment allocation of the participants and remains unaware of which group received the intervention being studied.