Impact of BRACTS exercises on muscular strength in eumenorrheic women
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 equipm...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87352-6 |
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| author | Wajiha Shahid Rabiya Noor |
| author_facet | Wajiha Shahid Rabiya Noor |
| author_sort | Wajiha Shahid |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c299f43e13104b18af1f5b9902e3abc9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-c299f43e13104b18af1f5b9902e3abc92025-02-09T12:36:17ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115111410.1038/s41598-025-87352-6Impact of BRACTS exercises on muscular strength in eumenorrheic womenWajiha Shahid0Rabiya Noor1Riphah College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Riphah International UniversityRiphah College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Riphah International UniversityAbstract 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.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87352-6HormonesEumenorrheicFemalesPhysical activityMenstrual cycle |
| spellingShingle | Wajiha Shahid Rabiya Noor Impact of BRACTS exercises on muscular strength in eumenorrheic women Scientific Reports Hormones Eumenorrheic Females Physical activity Menstrual cycle |
| title | Impact of BRACTS exercises on muscular strength in eumenorrheic women |
| title_full | Impact of BRACTS exercises on muscular strength in eumenorrheic women |
| title_fullStr | Impact of BRACTS exercises on muscular strength in eumenorrheic women |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of BRACTS exercises on muscular strength in eumenorrheic women |
| title_short | Impact of BRACTS exercises on muscular strength in eumenorrheic women |
| title_sort | impact of bracts exercises on muscular strength in eumenorrheic women |
| topic | Hormones Eumenorrheic Females Physical activity Menstrual cycle |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87352-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wajihashahid impactofbractsexercisesonmuscularstrengthineumenorrheicwomen AT rabiyanoor impactofbractsexercisesonmuscularstrengthineumenorrheicwomen |