Assessment of Gluteus Maximus and Medius Weakness in Postpartum Females with Pelvic Pain

Background: In postpartum females, pelvic pain is a common issue that can significantly impact daily functioning and quality of life. Weakness in the gluteus maximus and medius muscles impacts pelvic stability and movement and may cause pain. Objective: To assess gluteus maximus and medius weakness in postpartum females with pelvic pain. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was done on 196 postpartum females. Data was collected from different hospitals in Lahore. Participants with an age range above 18 years who had postpartum in the previous three months were selected for this study. Participants with any history of trauma, cancer, disability or any prior history of pelvic floor muscle tear of grade 3 or 4 were excluded. Data was collected using a visual analogue scale, Trendelenburg test, and hip-prone extension test. The quantitative variables were present as mean and standard deviation, range and histogram. Categorical variables were presented as frequencies, percentages, cross-tabulation, bar charts and pie charts. The chi-square test was applied to see the association between categorical variables. Results: The mean age of participants was 29.36±4.37. The Trendelenburg sign test revealed that 74.5% of participants showed positive results on the right leg side and 69.4% showed positive results on the left leg side. Additionally, 34.7% of participants exhibited positive results on the hip-prone extension test for the right gluteus maximus, while 37.2% showed positive results for the left gluteus maximus. The visual analogue scale indicated that varying degrees of pain were reported by participants, with 10.7% reporting no pain and 17.3% reporting the worst possible pain. Mild to severe pain levels were reported by the remaining participants. Significant associations were found between gluteus medius and gluteus maximus weakness with gravida, as well as pelvic pain, for the right leg (p<0.05). Conclusion: The study concludes that there is an association between gluteus medius and gluteus maximus muscle weakness in postpartum females with pelvic pain.