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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2025 Feb 5;15(1):4430.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-87352-6.

Impact of BRACTS exercises on muscular strength in eumenorrheic women

Wajiha Shahid  1 , Rabiya Noor  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Impact of BRACTS exercises on muscular strength in eumenorrheic women

Wajiha Shahid et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

The sex steroid hormones significantly impact women's physiology. Therefore, recently developed integrated exercises consisting of Bending, Roll-ups, Arm swings with loads, Crunches, Tandem walks, and Squats (BRACTS) were formulated. It was the exercise approach that required minimal equipment and was cost-effective and practical for implementation across a broad spectrum of women. So, this study aims to evaluate the effects of BRACTS exercises on strength during different phases of the menstrual cycle in eumenorrheic women. This is a two-armed parallel design, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial following Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines, and the study protocol is based on Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) guidelines. Participants were randomly allocated with a 1:1 ratio into Group A (control group) and Group B (treatment group). Group A was given an educational program related to menstrual hygiene and active lifestyle maintenance with 20 min walk 3 times a week for 16 weeks, while group B was given an educational program related to menstrual hygiene along with BRACTS exercises of 50 min for 3 times per week for 16 weeks. Assessments were done at baseline, midline, and end of the therapy using SPSS version 25. The experimental group demonstrated a notable improvement in muscular strength in follicular, mid-cycle, and luteal phases, with Cohen's d values for left and right hand grip strength to be maximum in follicular phase while for left and right quadriceps, left and gastro-soleus showed maximum Cohen's d value in mid-cycle phase of menstrual cycle. The mixed model ANOVA indicates statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between the two groups, with influence from menstrual cycle phases. So, the BRACTS exercise protocol significantly improves muscular strength across different phases of the menstrual cycle in eumenorrheic women, demonstrating its efficacy as a cost-effective and practical approach. The trial was registered on clinicaltrials.gov for registration with ID: NCT05460741 on 05/31/2022 and was last released on 04/29/2024.Trial registration number: NCT05460741.

Keywords: Eumenorrheic; Females; Hormones; Menstrual cycle; Physical activity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics and dissemination: Ethics were approved by the Riphah International University in February 2022 with ID REC/Lhr/22/1101. All participants received oral and written information on the aim of the study and the protocol. Written informed consent was obtained before their inclusion in the research and before performing any specific procedure. During the study, participants had the opportunity to ask the investigator all questions concerning the protocol. They were informed that they could stop the study at any time at their discretion. Any adverse events during the protocol were reported to the principal investigator. According to the provisions concerning data confidentiality available to those responsible for the quality control of biomedical research, all researchers with direct access to the data took the necessary precautions to ensure the confidentiality of information (participant identification and results). All data collected was anonymzsed.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Variation of sex steroid hormones in MC.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
CONSORT study flow diagram.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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