ASSESSING PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE TESTS IN PREGANANT WOMEN WITH AND WITHOUT LUMBO-PELVIC PAIN: NORMATIVE STUDY

R. Alshatti¹, M. Shafizadeh¹, R. Spencer¹, A. Lowe¹

¹Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Background: The timed up and goo (TUG) abd Ten Meter Walk (10-MWT) tests are reliable, cost-effect, safe andtime0efecient way to evaluate overall physical functional performance (PFP) among pregnant women. However, the TUG and 10-MWT does not have normative references values (NRV) for pregnant women.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish NRV for the TUG and 10-MWT to determine the status of PFP in pregnant women with and without LPP while considering the demographic measure.

Methods: Four hundred and twenty five pregnant women, stratified into subgroups based on their gestational age (trimesters) and pain group. The participants were recruited at their regular OBs and Gyn visit, and timed as they performed the TUG by standing up out of a chair, walking 3 m, turning around a cone, walking back to the chair, and sitting down. In addition, the pregnant women asked to walk as fast as possible to complete 10-m long walkway, and the walking speed in metres per second between the 2-m and 8-m markers were calculated. Information regarding the demographic factors such as body mass index (BMI), physical activity, disability rate, parity, gestational age and pain was obtained and used as confounding variables of the PFP tests.

Results: Based on the regression analysis, the normative data was separated based on sub-demographic groups (BMI, physical activity, gestational age and pain). The median values of both TUG and 10MWT tests decreases with physical activity while increasing with the progression of the pregnancy (GA), BMI and pain. For TUG tests, the median value for TUG decrease with active, with the best median value for the physically active (5.99 sec) compared to the sedentary group (6.20). At the same time, the performance in TUG was worse for pregnant women in their third trimesters (6.43 sec), while the best median value was observed for the group with pregnant women in the first trimester (5.73 sec). Faster 10MWT speed were associated with higher physical activity, no pain and early pregnancy (1.41, 1.56, 1.56 m/sec) compared to the non-active group, pain group and late preganancy (1.37, 1.35, 1.33 m/ sec).

Conclusions: This study provided TUG and 10-MWT normative data for pregnant women based on the demographic measures. The TUG and 10MWT NRV may have utility for physiotherapist and policy makers to assess and evaluate the PFP in pregnant women with and without LPP.

Implications: The result of this study will provide a baseline measurement to categories the pregnant women based on their functional performance into (low, normal, fit). This will help against which progress can be monitored and treatment adjusted as needed. In addition, it will allow health care providers and policy makers design assessments and interventions around the specific norms. Furthermore, a new tools and categorization of pregnant women based on their performance to be added in the educational field of the physiotherapist.

Funding acknowledgements: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Keywords:
Physical functional performance
Normative reference value
pregnant functional status

Topics:
Pain & pain management

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: The Sheffield Hallam University

Committee: Research Ethics committee

Ethics number: (Ethics Review ID: ER21255253)