EFFECTS OF A RESISTANCE EXERCISE PROGRAM ON POSTPARTUM RECOVERY AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG NORMAL POSTPARTUM WOMEN, PHAHOLPOLPAYUHASENA HOSPITAL, KANCHANABURI PROVINCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64962/rdhsj.v19i2.2026.282363Keywords:
postpartum period, resistance exercise, postpartum recovery, depressionAbstract
The postpartum period is a critical phase for mothers, as they experience significant physical and psychosocial changes. This quasi-experimental study aimed to examine the effects of a resistance exercise program on postpartum recovery and depressive symptoms among women with normal deliveries. The sample consisted of 60 postpartum women selected through consecutive sampling and divided into a control group and an experimental group (n = 30 each). The experimental group received the resistance exercise program, whereas the control group received routine nursing care. The research instruments included the resistance exercise program, a postpartum recovery assessment, a postpartum depression assessment, and a satisfaction questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and an independent t-test.
The results revealed that, after the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher mean postpartum recovery scores than the control group (p-value < 0.001) and significantly lower mean postpartum depression scores (p-value < 0.001). Furthermore, overall satisfaction with the program was at the highest level, with a mean score of 4.63 (S.D. = 0.49).
The resistance exercise program can be practically applied in postpartum care to promote postpartum recovery and reduce postpartum depressive symtoms effectively.
Downloads
References
McKinney ES, James SR, Murray SS, Nelson KA, Ashwill JW. Maternal-child nursing. 6th ed. St. Louis (MO): Elsevier; 2022: 399-401.
Suryawanshi O, Pajai S. A comprehensive review on postpartum depression. Cureus 2022; 14: e32745.
Riphah International University. Comparative effect of training on postpartum depression [Internet]. CenterWatch; 2023 [cited 2024 May 17]. Available from: https://www.centerwatch.com/clinical-trials/listings/NCT05891717
Deprato A, Ruchat SM, Ali MU, Cai C, Forte M, Gierc M, et al. Impact of postpartum physical activity on maternal depression and anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med 2025; 59: 550-61.
Hinman T. The effect of resistance training on strength and total physical activity in postpartum females [master's thesis]. Provo (UT): Brigham Young University; 2010.
Loewen B, Collum C, Ryan GA. Exercise benefits and recommendations for the 6-week postpartum period. Strength Cond J 2020; 42: 12-21.
Zhang L, He J, Zhang Q, Wang L. A study on 10-week combined aerobic and resistance training exercise prescription for female patients with pelvic floor dysfunction. Healthcare (Basel) 2025; 13: 592.
Sulastri IW, Susiloningtyas I. The effect of physical activity on postpartum depression: a literature review. Int J Integr Sci Technol 2025; 3: 1327-36.
LeCheminant JD, Hinman T, Pratt KB, Earl N, Bailey BW, Thackeray R, et al. Effect of resistance training on body composition, self-efficacy, depression, and activity in postpartum women. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2014; 24: 414-21.
Naosrisorn P, Sangin S, Suppasri P. The effects of yoga exercise on fatigue and quality of life in primiparous mothers. J Nurs Sci Chulalongkorn Univ 2019; 31: 109-20. (in Thai).
Khumpraphan P. Development of the one province one labor room network model in Kanchanaburi province. Phaholpolpayuhasena Hosp J 2025; 13: 84-99. (in Thai).
Engel GL. The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine. Science 1977; 196: 129-36.
Laycock J, Holmes DM. The place of physiotherapy in the management of pelvic floor dysfunction. Obstet Gynaecol 2003; 5: 194-9.
Cox JL, Holden JM, Sagovsky R. Detection of postnatal depression: development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Br J Psychiatry 1987; 150: 782-6.
Phoosuwan N, Chaimongkol S. Validity and reliability of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in pregnant women in northeastern Thailand. In: Proceedings of the 1st National and International Conference of Kalasin University; 2019; Kalasin, Thailand. (in Thai).
Purwati Y. The effect of postpartum exercise to uterine involution [Internet]. SSRN; 2019 [cited 2024 May 17]. Available from: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3494312
Nelli E. Accelerating uterine involution: the role of postpartum exercise in primary care settings. Open Access Indones J Med Rev 2024; 4: 754-67.
Liu X, Wang G, Cao Y. Physical exercise interventions for perinatal depression symptoms in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychol 2022; 13: 1022402.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Kalasin Provincial Public Health Office
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
เนื้อหาและข้อมูลในบทความที่ลงตีพิมพ์ในวารสารศูนย์ดัชนีการอ้างอิงวารสารไทย ถือเป็นข้อคิดเห็นและความรับผิดชอบของผู้เขียนบทความโดยตรงซึ่งกองบรรณาธิการวารสาร ไม่จำเป็นต้องเห็นด้วย หรือร่วมรับผิดชอบใด ๆบทความ ข้อมูล เนื้อหา รูปภาพ ฯลฯ ที่ได้รับการตีพิมพ์ในวารสารศูนย์ดัชนีการอ้างอิงวารสารไทย ถือเป็นลิขสิทธิ์ของวารสารศูนย์ดัชนีการอ้างอิงวารสารไทย หากบุคคลหรือหน่วยงานใดต้องการนำทั้งหมดหรือส่วนหนึ่งส่วนใดไปเผยแพร่ต่อหรือเพื่อกระทำการใด จะต้องได้รับอนุญาตเป็นลายลักษณ์อักษรจากวารสารศูนย์ดัชนีการอ้างอิงวารสารไทยก่อนเท่านั้น
