Comparison of Core Stability, Body Awareness, Pelvic Health, Sleep, and Quality of Life in Physically Active Women With and Without Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome

Primary outcomes

1. Forearm Plank Test

   Time frame: Baseline

   The purpose of this test is to measure the core stability, or endurance, of the trunk muscles. Participants are asked to keep their body in a straight line against gravity with their forearms on the ground and their toes touching the ground, and to maintain their posture without changing position by contracting their abdominal muscles. The time (in seconds) spent in this position is measured and recorded with a stopwatch.

2. Side Bridge Test

   Time frame: Baseline

   The participant lies on their side with their elbow and forearm placed on the ground at shoulder level. Legs and feet are placed on top of each other, forming a straight line. The individual lifts their hips off the ground against gravity, bringing their body into a side bridge position parallel to the ground. Both sides (right/left) are tested separately. The time (in seconds) spent in this position is measured and recorded with a stopwatch.

3. Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ)

   Time frame: Baseline

   BAQ is an 18-item self-report scale designed to measure how attentive the participants are to normal, non-emotional internal bodily processes. It evaluates the sensitivity to everyday bodily cycles (like sleep and hunger), ability to detect subtle changes, and capacity to anticipate physical reactions. Typically takes about 3 to 5 minutes. Items are generally rated on a 1 to 7 scale, with higher total scores indicating greater perceived condence and accuracy in monitoring the physical state over time.

4. Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20)

   Time frame: Baseline

   This scale, which assesses pelvic floor-related symptoms and pelvic functionality, consists of three subscales: POPDI-6, CRADI-8, and UDI-6. The average of the responses for each subscale is calculated and multiplied by 25 to create a standard score on a scale of 0-100 for each subscale. The total PFDI-20 score is obtained by summing the scores of the three subscales and ranges from 0 to 300. Higher scores indicate more symptoms and discomfort.

5. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)

   Time frame: Baseline

   This scale was developed to assess sleep quality and disturbances over a one-month period. The 18 items included in the scoring are grouped into 7 components. Some components are represented by a single item, while others are obtained by combining several items. Each item is rated on a scale of 0-3, and the scores of each component are added together to obtain a total score between 0-21. A higher total score indicates poor sleep quality, while a score above 5 generally indicates poor sleep quality.

6. WHO - Quality of Life - Brief (WHOQOL-BREF)

   Time frame: Baseline

   The World Health Organization-developed quality of life assessment tool helps evaluate an individual's overall health status. It consists of 26 questions, each scored on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (very poor) to 5 (very good). The scale covers four core areas of life: physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment. It also includes two additional items that assess an individual's overall quality of life and health satisfaction. Raw scores are converted into a total score on a scale of 0-100 using a formula. Higher scores indicate a higher perceived quality of life.