Health Sciences
Early Postpartum Physiotherapy with Focus on Local and Systemic Complications
Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Lukáš Hruban, Ph.D.
Consultant: Assoc. Prof. Ladislav Baťalík, Ph.D.
Doctoral study program: Health Sciences
Form: doctoral (present)
Department: Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, MU – training department
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, MU – study programme’s home department
Annotation:
Postpartum scars (episiotomy scar, obstetric anal sphincter injury scar, C-Section scar) may be associated with persistent pain (scar, perineal, visceral), impaired pelvic floor function, sexual dysfunction, dyspareunia, urinary symptoms, anorectal dysfunction, postpartum depression and reduced quality of life. However, evidence supporting standardized early physiotherapy after postpartum scars remains limited. The doctoral project will evaluate the effectiveness of structured early physiotherapy in women following postpartum scar (episiotomy scar, obstetric anal sphincter injury scar, C-Section scar). The randomized controlled trials will constitute the core studies, comparing individualized physiotherapy initiated within 24–72 hours after delivery and continued during the early postpartum period with standard care. Clinical, functional and patient-reported outcomes will include pain (scar, perinal, visceral), scar characteristics, pelvic floor function, urinary incontinence, anal incontinence, sexual function, mental health and health-related quality of life, with follow-up up to 12–14 months postpartum. The project aims to provide clinically applicable evidence for evidence-based physiotherapy recommendations and multidisciplinary postpartum care pathways.
Requirements for the candidate
Strong skills in Physiotherapy practice with a special focus on women´s health. The applicant must hold a master’s degree in physiotherapy or a related health sciences field, have an interest in women's health and pelvic floor physiotherapy, and be able to participate in clinical research and scientific data collection. Active participation in peer-reviewed publications and sufficient English proficiency for scientific communication is expected. The candidate will also participate in teaching activities and complete an international research stay according to programme requirements.
Requirements for the student according to the Doctoral Board (publication activity, teaching assistance, other requirements)
The student's minimum publication activity within the course of study is one first-author publication with an IF value above the median in the field or 2 first-author publications in journals with an IF value in the 3rd quartile in the field (Q3). A condition for successful completion of the studies is also a foreign internship of at least 1 month, which is an inseparable part of the studies. As part of their studies, students will also participate in the teaching.
Funding of the study and research for 4 years
This research will be funded by current and future grant projects, combined with institutional funding for the research group, if necessary.
Primary funding for the proposed work is secured by the study supported through institutional research funding of University Hospital Brno. The doctoral candidate is employed at University Hospital Brno and the Masaryk University. Funding covering research activities during the standard four-year study period will be provided through institutional and/or project resources.
The program requires that all PhD students have some means of financial support of min. 26 880 CZK
per month. This is often a combination of various sources (grants, scholarship etc.).
Supervisor
The supervisor Assoc. Prof. Lukáš Hruban, Ph.D, is affiliated with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University. The supervisor has many years’ professional experience in the field of postnatal care for women. Publication activity over the past 5 years has been included in the supervisor’s CV. Several international collaborations are ongoing, providing multiple possibilities for the potential PhD student to perform an internship abroad.