Categories
Change Password!
Reset Password!
Strengthening exercises focused on the trunk should be
advised for pregnant women as it improved QoL and PH and reduced pain in the
last trimester and two months after delivery.
Regular and moderate exercise during pregnancy can offer
women significant benefits like reducing high blood pressure, helping to
control weight gain, improving sleep, reducing the risk of diabetes, and
improving mood and so on. Watelain E and colleagues evaluated the effect
of a trunk exercise program on pain, quality of life (QoL) and physical health
(PH) in the late pregnancy and post-partum periods as well as baby weight, size
and delivery.
The study included
90 nulliparous women were involved. The participants were assigned to a
training group (TG) or to a control group (CG), based on their voluntarism. TG
carried out a structured program with exercises for flexibility, balance and
strengthening for the majority of skeletal muscles specifically for the spinal
ones, between the 24th and 36th week of pregnancy. Pain
was assessed in both TG and CG at the 1) Beginning of the program (T1); 2) End
of the program (T2); 3) Two months' post-partum (T3). The QoL was assessed at
T1, T2 and T3, and PH at T1 and T3. Mann-Whitney test was used to make a
comparison between TG and CG on each period and as well compare the periods two
by two.
Findings revealed
no significant difference at T1 between the two groups in 1) pain intensity
(pain interference p=0.317); 2) QoL (p=0.18); 3) PH (flexibility p=0.06;
walking p=0.85). At T2, women of TG when compared to CG, expressed- lower pain
intensity in legs (p=0.029), lower back (p
<0.0001), upper back (p=0.022), pelvis (p=0.017), groins (p=0.043), lower
pelvis (p=0.009) and interference of pain (p<0.0001)).
At T3, TG had a lower intensity of pain than CG, in lower back and upper back (p<0.0001) and interference of pain (p<0.0001). The scores of QoL observed
were best in TG compared to CG at T2 (p<0.0001)
and at T3 (p<0.0001). No
difference was found in PH of TG compared to CG in T1 but was different in in
T3 (flexibility p=0.002, walking, balance, curling-ups and Ruffier p<0.0001). TG was found to be four
times less likely to have a caesarean (p=0.049) and had 4.5 h less of labor
time (p<0.0001). No difference was
observed between the TG vs CG concerning the weight (p=0.22) and the baby's
size (p=0.11).
Therefore, it was
concluded that strengthening exercises centered on the trunk reduces the pain,
improve QoL and PH in late pregnancy and at two months in the post-partum
period. Strengthening exercises also help in easy delivery.
Phys Sportsmed. 2017 Jul 5
Benefits of physical activities centered on the trunk for pregnant women
Watelain E et. al.
Comments (0)