In third trimester pregnants relationship between lowback pain and postural sway or emotional status

Objective: The hormonal, anatomical and physiological states change during pregnancy. Due to this alternations, pregnant women have increased risk of low back pain, also increased risk of postural instability according to low back pain. Physical factors increase the risk of I um bar pain in pregnancy, but al so psychological factors can increase, too. It is important to detect the risk groups for lumbopelvic pain in pregnancy because of the increased comorbidity with pain. The aim of this study is finding the relationship between low back pain and postural sway in third trimester of pregnancy. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study consists of two groups: pregnants with low back pain group-30 patients (Group ı) and pregnants without low back pain group-38 patients (Group 2). In clinical examination Posterior Pelvic Provocation Test (PPPT), Active Straight Leg Test (ASLRT), Flexion, Abduction and External Rotation test (FABER test), Symphysis pubis palpation, Long dorsal ligament palpation were applied. For emotional situation assessment Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) was performed. Postural performance was assessed by Tetra-ataxiometric posturography (Tetrax); and stability index (SI) and Fourier frequency values (F ı, F2-4, F5-6, F7 -8) were studied as calculated according to the measures in eight different positions. Results: No significant differences for HADS total scores, HAD anxiety scores, HAD depression scores were found among the pregnant women with and without low back pain subjects (p >0.05). SI, F 1, F2-4, FS-6, F7 -8 scores were significantly higher in pregnant women with low back pain than pregnant women without low back pain (p<0,05). In regression analysis F2-4 parameter was the most effective parameter on low back pain in pregnant women. Conclusion: Pregnants with low back pain give out positive measurement results in terms of all posturographic parameters as compared with the results of pregnants without low back pain. Emotional status does not affect the lumbopelvic pain in pregnancy. Key words: Lumbar pain, pregnancy, postural sway, emotional status