Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy as Part of the Postpartum Care Continuum for Active-Duty Service Members
Brooke Army Medical Center
Summary
Data shows us that injury risk increases in the first year postpartum. There is a paucity of literature regarding MSK injuries in postpartum military women. A unique challenge that postpartum service members face is the increased stress of training for and having to pass a physical fitness test directly tied to their career advancement. While there is epidemiological data across multiple branches of service, there is a gap in the literature in terms of how to appropriately address these decreased fitness levels and better understand the root causes. American College of Gynecology (ACOG) recommends that the postpartum visit include actionable information on return to physical activity. However, a large majority of women report receiving no guidance on how to engage in physical activity during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Physical therapy is commonly used to help individuals return to physical activity following orthopaedic surgeries, but it is not frequently utilized to assist the postpartum population in progressing back to physical activity. Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (OMPTs) are uniquely trained to address musculoskeletal symptoms and progress physical activity. An OMPT evaluation and treatment could facilitate increased physical activity and improve health-related quality of life, supporting the ACOG recommendation to make postpartum care an ongoing multidisciplinary process.
Description
The purpose of this study is to 1) Describe changes in health-related quality of life in postpartum women following eight weeks of orthopaedic physical therapy management as part of the postpartum care continuum for active-duty service members 2) Describe changes in pain and physical activity levels following eight-weeks of OMPT management in this same sample and 3) Determine whether select patient characteristics associated with improvement physical function scores following this same eight-week program of OMPT. This is a Quasi-experimental one-group repeated measures study. Participants who…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–44 years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Female Active-Duty Service Member * Postpartum \>6 weeks and \<6 months * Cleared by OBGYN at postpartum follow-up to initiate physical activity Exclusion Criteria: * Current or ongoing treatment by an orthopaedic physical therapist * Separating from military service in the next 6 months * Current permanent profile for a musculoskeletal condition * Peripartum Hysterectomy
Interventions
- OtherOrthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy
Individualized Treatment
Location
- Brooke Army Medical CenterSan Antonio, Texas