The exercise program was initiated during postoperative week 3 and was conducted for 12 weeks thereafter. The patterns of exercise consisted of combined resistance, pelvic flexibility, and Kegel exercises. The details of the combined exercise were as follows.
Postoperative weeks 1-4 (adaptation period)
1
Education about postoperative symptoms
2
Performing Kegel exercises, recognizing the parapelvic muscles
3
Pelvic floor flexibility fitness: performing pelvic exercises while sitting on a ball
Postoperative weeks 5-8 (ball exercises)
1
Performing pelvic exercises while sitting on a ball
2
Performing lower extremity exercises while placing a ball on the wall
3
Lifting a heel on the ball while standing face-to-face with the wall
4
Lifting up and down on the ball while spreading and bending the legs
5
Performing flank exercises while having a ball in the hand
6
Squeezing the ball with the adductor muscles while lying on a table
Postoperative weeks 9-12 (elastic band exercises)
1
Lifting the object with an elastic band lateral, anterior, and posterior to the patient's arms
2
Lifting the legs and then spreading them while attaching an elastic band to the foot