Ramachandra P1, Kumar P2, Maiya AG1
1School of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Department of Physiotherapy, Manipal, India, 2Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Department of Obstretics and Gynaecology, Manipal, India
Background: Pregnancy causes anatomical, physiological and hormonal changes including increased body weight, alterations in posture, hormonal changes and reduction in the muscle strength. Changes in the neuromusculoskeletal system during pregnancy may alter both balance and postural control.
Purpose: The postural control changes during pregnancy is less understood especially while standing on unstable surfaces. Hence we aimed to compare postural sway between pregnant and non-pregnant women during various sensory conditions and on stable and unstable surface.
Methods: Forty primigravidae and 40 non-pregnant women participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants stood on a static posturography equipment under the following eight different sensory conditions and supporting surfaces.
a) Standing on a firm surface with eyes open/ eyes closed with preferred stance width
b) Standing on a firm surface eyes open/eyes closed with feet together
c) Standing on a foam surface with eyes open/ eyes closed with preferred stance width
d) Standing on foam surface with eyes open / eyes closed with feet together
They were instructed to stand steady and the postural sway was recorded for 30 seconds. The anteroposterior and mediolateral sway velocity(mm/sec) and velocity moment (mm2/ sec) were recorded and analyzed. An independent student t test was used to analyse the between group differences.
Results: The mean age of the primigravidae was 25.6±4.0 years (Mean±SD) and the non-pregnant women was 24.4± 4 years(Mean±SD). The results indicate that the velocity moment and the anteroposterior sway velocity was found to be more in the pregnant women compared to non-pregnant women (p 0.05). The mediolateral sway velocity did not demonstrate significant differences between the groups (p>0.05). This could be attributed to the wider stance width (Mean±SD) 26.8±2.3 cm which the pregnant women adopted compared to the non-pregnant women (Mean±SD) 20.2±2.8 cm when they were instructed to choose a self-selected stance width.
Conclusion(s): The postural sway was found to be more in pregnant women in their third trimester compared to non-pregnant women when exposed to multiple compromised sensory conditions.
Implications: This increased postural sway may surge the risk of falls in pregnant women and warrants necessary fall prevention strategies to be included in the antenatal programme.
Keywords: Pregnancy, Balance, sensory conditions
Funding acknowledgements: No funding was obtained for this study
Purpose: The postural control changes during pregnancy is less understood especially while standing on unstable surfaces. Hence we aimed to compare postural sway between pregnant and non-pregnant women during various sensory conditions and on stable and unstable surface.
Methods: Forty primigravidae and 40 non-pregnant women participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants stood on a static posturography equipment under the following eight different sensory conditions and supporting surfaces.
a) Standing on a firm surface with eyes open/ eyes closed with preferred stance width
b) Standing on a firm surface eyes open/eyes closed with feet together
c) Standing on a foam surface with eyes open/ eyes closed with preferred stance width
d) Standing on foam surface with eyes open / eyes closed with feet together
They were instructed to stand steady and the postural sway was recorded for 30 seconds. The anteroposterior and mediolateral sway velocity(mm/sec) and velocity moment (mm2/ sec) were recorded and analyzed. An independent student t test was used to analyse the between group differences.
Results: The mean age of the primigravidae was 25.6±4.0 years (Mean±SD) and the non-pregnant women was 24.4± 4 years(Mean±SD). The results indicate that the velocity moment and the anteroposterior sway velocity was found to be more in the pregnant women compared to non-pregnant women (p 0.05). The mediolateral sway velocity did not demonstrate significant differences between the groups (p>0.05). This could be attributed to the wider stance width (Mean±SD) 26.8±2.3 cm which the pregnant women adopted compared to the non-pregnant women (Mean±SD) 20.2±2.8 cm when they were instructed to choose a self-selected stance width.
Conclusion(s): The postural sway was found to be more in pregnant women in their third trimester compared to non-pregnant women when exposed to multiple compromised sensory conditions.
Implications: This increased postural sway may surge the risk of falls in pregnant women and warrants necessary fall prevention strategies to be included in the antenatal programme.
Keywords: Pregnancy, Balance, sensory conditions
Funding acknowledgements: No funding was obtained for this study
Topic: Women's & men's pelvic health
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Ethics committee: Manipal University Ethics Committee
Ethics number: UEC/88/2010
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
