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  • Title: Gait coordination in pregnancy: transverse pelvic and thoracic rotations and their relative phase.
    Author: Wu W, Meijer OG, Lamoth CJ, Uegaki K, van Dieën JH, Wuisman PI, de Vries JI, Beek PJ.
    Journal: Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon); 2004 Jun; 19(5):480-8. PubMed ID: 15182983.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of pregnancy on the coordination of transverse pelvic and thoracic rotations during gait. DESIGN: Gait of healthy pregnant women and nulligravidae was studied during treadmill walking at predetermined velocities ranging from 0.17 to 1.72 m/s. BACKGROUND: pelvis-thorax coordination during walking is altered in women with postpartum pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain. This coordination has not been investigated in a healthy pregnant population. METHODS: Comfortable walking velocity was established. Amplitudes of pelvic and thoracic rotations were calculated. Their coordination was characterized by relative Fourier phase and its standard deviation. RESULTS: Comfortable walking velocity was significantly reduced. The amplitudes of pelvic and thoracic rotations were somewhat reduced, with significantly smaller intra-individual standard deviations. Also pelvis-thorax relative Fourier phase was somewhat smaller, its intra-individual standard deviation was negatively correlated with week of pregnancy, and significantly lower at velocities > or = 1.06 m/s. CONCLUSIONS: The general pattern of gait kinematics in pregnant women is very similar to that of nulligravidae. Still, it appears that pregnant women experience difficulties in realizing the more anti-phase pelvis-thorax coordination that is required at higher walking velocities. RELEVANCE: The present study shows that gait in healthy pregnancy is remarkably normal, but some differences in pelvis-thorax coordination were detected. In healthy pregnancy, anti-phase pelvis-thorax coordination appears difficult, but less so than in pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain. Better understanding of gait in healthy pregnancy may provide insight into the gait problems of women with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain.
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