Effect of Moderate Intensity Walking and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation with Stretching on Restless Leg Syndrome Severity and Sleep Quality in Pregnant Women- A Comparative Study

Abstract

Objective: The study objective to compare the effectiveness of moderate-intensity walking with stretching and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) with stretching on RLS severity and sleep quality among pregnant women.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial was used with pre-test and post-test assessment. 60 women diagnosed with RLS were selected and randomized into two groups. Group A was given TENS along with stretching while Group B did moderate-intensity walking with stretching. Both interventions were applied for thirty minutes, five times per week for four weeks. The International Restless Legs Syndrome Rating Scale (IRLSRS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were the outcome measures. Statistical analysis was conducted with paired t-tests, independent t-tests, and repeated measures ANOVA at a significance level p < .05.
Results: The findings demonstrated statistically significant improvements in both IRLSRS and PSQI scores within both groups (p < .001). However, the walking with stretching group showed comparatively greater improvement in sleep quality and reduction in RLS severity compared to the TENS with stretching group. Large effect sizes further confirmed the clinical effectiveness of both interventions.
Conclusions: Both interventions were effective non-pharmacological treatment options for RLS during gestation. According to the findings, moderate walking along with stretching could improve sleep quality and reduce symptoms of RLS in pregnant women.