title: Effects of physiotherapy on pain and functional activities after cesarean delivery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of a physiotherapy program on incision pain and functional activities in the early post-cesarean period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty women were evaluated after Cesarean operation with regard to times of ambulation and return of bowel activity, intensity of incision pain, difficulty in functional activities and number of analgesics required additional to routine pain control procedure. Twenty-four women received only routine nursing care, and a physiotherapy program was applied to the study group (n = 26), additionally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative ambulation and return of bowel activity were earlier in the study group (p < 0.05). Incision pain and difficulty in functional activities decreased significantly within 2 days in both groups, and the values were lower in the study group (p < 0.05). Study group needed less medication for pain control (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings revealed the effectiveness of a physiotherapy program in the early post-cesarean period in a wider perspective than the current literature, and are considered to be valuable for increasing the quality and productivity of the postnatal care, therefore improving well-being after childbirth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Muğla School of Health Sciences, Muğla University, Muğla, Turkey. ilkim74@yahoo.com
authors.forename: İlkim
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Çıtak Karakaya
authors.forename: İnci
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Yüksel
authors.forename: Türkan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akbayrak
authors.forename: Funda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Demirtürk
authors.forename: Mehmet Gürhan
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Karakaya
authors.forename: Özgür
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Ozyüncü
authors.forename: Sinan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beksaç
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D003672:Defecation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059408:Pain Management; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult