Plantar Pressure During Gait in Pregnancy-Related Pelvic Girdle Pain and the Influence of Pelvic Belts

Abstract

Introduction: Many pregnant women experience pelvic girdle pain (PGP) during pregnancy. Etiologies are multifactorial and affect the joint stability of the sacroiliac joint. Pelvic belts could restore stability and help reduce pain during gait. The objectives were to analyze plantar pressure during gait in pregnant women with PGP, to evaluate the effect of pelvic belts, and to compare the effects of two types of belts on plantar pressure parameters. Materials and Methods: Forty-six pregnant women with PGP, 58 healthy pregnant women, and 23 nonpregnant women were recruited. The motor task consisted of three-gait trials on a walkway. Plantar pressure was analyzed with four variables. Two types of pelvic belts for pregnant women were used. Results: Plantar pressure in women with PGP compared with controls showed differences in all parameters: they displayed lower gait velocity and lower values for most pressure variables at the rear and forefoot (medial side). Conversely, these values were higher for the midfoot (lateral side). These alterations were also found in healthy pregnant women. There was no difference in plantar pressure between groups, those who had or had not used belts, and between the types of belt. Conclusions: Pregnant women, with or without PGP, showed nearly the same changes in plantar pressure during gait. PGP did not change plantar pressure parameters. Wearing any of the belts during pregnancy did not have an effect on plantar pressure parameters during gait in pregnant women with PGP.

Kinematic and spatiotemporal gait characteristics in pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain, asymptomatic pregnant and non-pregnant women

“…They also found a negative correlation between gait speed and fear of movement in the PGP group (Wu et al, 2008). Kerbourc'h et al (2017) and Bertuit et al (2018) investigated stance time and center of pressure (COP) displacement and velocity in pregnant women with PGP, asymptomatic pregnant and non-pregnant women, and found that PGP influenced gait minimally. They found that speed influenced most gait variables, but did not account for speed differences between groups in their gait analysis.…”

“…To our knowledge, three studies have investigated gait biomechanics in pregnant women with PGP (Bertuit et al, 2018;Kerbourc'h et al, 2017;Wu et al, 2008). Only Wu et al (2008) assessed kinematics and found that pregnant women with PGP walked slower and with larger transversal rotations in the pelvis, low back and thorax (although not statistical significant), reduced relative phase between rotations and earlier timing of peak thoracic rotations compared to asymptomatic pregnant women.…”

Assessment of COP characteristics and force-time changes during walking in the third trimester of pregnancy

“…This finding may indicate that pregnant women increased their preferred velocity of gait. Paradoxically, other authors show that there is a decrease of COP velocity in late pregnancy (Bertuit, Leyh, Rooze & Feipel, 2017;Bertuit, Leyh & Feipel, 2018) and an overall decrease of gait speed (Bertuit, Feipel & Rooze, 2015;Bertuit, Leyh, Rooze & Feipel, 2017;Błaszczyk, Opala-Berdzik & Plewa, 2016). This difference may be due to individual development of biomechanics and physiology in pregnancy, where pregnant women establish very specific and individual gait strategies.…”