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Strong as a Mother
Sponsor: Penn State University
Summary
This study will evaluate Strong as a Mother, an existing community exercise program for women returning to exercise after childbirth. The goal is to determine whether the program can be delivered consistently, whether participants find it acceptable, and how it may affect fitness and physical function. Approximately 30 medically cleared women who are 3-12 months postpartum will be randomly assigned to begin the program immediately or continue their usual activities for 12 weeks before being offered the program. The program includes three supervised sessions per week combining strength training, aerobic exercise, and breathing and bracing instruction. Exercises will be adjusted to participants' abilities and symptoms. Assessments will occur before and after the 12-week period, with a brief check-in at six weeks. Researchers will measure participation, program delivery, and adverse events, along with aerobic fitness, grip strength, and lifting, carrying, and chair-rise performance. Additional assessments will examine abdominal-wall characteristics, maternal functioning, postpartum quality of life, and pelvic-floor symptoms. This pilot study will provide preliminary findings to refine the program and plan a larger trial.
Official title: Strong as a Mother: A Pilot Study of Community-Based Strength and Conditioning to Support Postpartum Physical Capacity and Functional Performance
Key Details
Gender
FEMALE
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
30
Start Date
2027-05-01
Completion Date
2027-10-01
Last Updated
2026-10-09
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
Supervised Postpartum Functional Strength Training and Aerobic Conditioning
A 12-week community-based exercise program consisting of three supervised sessions per week, for 36 scheduled sessions. Training combines progressive functional resistance exercises-including squat, hinge, push, pull, and carry movements-with aerobic conditioning and pelvic-floor-informed breathing and bracing instruction. A Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with specialized pregnancy and postpartum training individualizes exercise selection, resistance loads, conditioning intensity, and progression according to each participant's symptoms, training experience, technique, and physical capacity. Attendance, exercise dose, progression, and modifications are documented throughout the program.
Locations (1)
Penn State University
University Park, Pennsylvania, United States