Physiotherapy Protocol for Pain in the Immediate Postcesarean Postpartum: Randomized Clinical Trial

Objectives To investigate the effectiveness of a physiotherapy protocol in preventing and managing pain in women in the immediate postpartum period after cesarean section. Methods A randomized, parallel, open‐label clinical trial, whose data collection took place between October and December 2024, in the rooming‐in wards of a Brazilian teaching hospital. The study included 40 women in the immediate postpartum period after cesarean section, randomized into an intervention and a control group (standard care). Participants were asked about the presence of pain when performing movements. If pain was present, they were asked to identify its location, and a Visual Numerical Pain Scale was used to measure the pain score. Participants allocated to the intervention group received the physiotherapy intervention protocol, which consisted of postural guidelines. After 24 h, participants in both groups were asked again about the presence of pain in the listed activities. The chi‐square and Fisher’s exact tests were applied to categorical variables and the t ‐test for independent samples for pain scores, and the effect size was calculated to determine the magnitude of the associations. A significance level of 5% was adopted for all analyses. Results Pain complaints were reported in all movements assessed. Pain was felt most frequently in the abdominal region (generalized) and the surgical scar (localized). The intervention had an effect on the movements of coughing, sitting on the toilet, and walking. The physiotherapy protocol effectively reduced pain scores during walking ( p = 0.009). Additionally, postpartum women in the intervention group reported greater satisfaction with pain management. Conclusion The physiotherapy intervention protocol effectively reduced pain scores during walking, with effects on coughing and sitting on the toilet, and increased satisfaction with pain management. Trial Registration: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC): UTN: U1111‐1308‐5716