The Influence of Pregnancy on the Location of the Center of Gravity in Standing Position

Opala-Berdzik, Agnieszka; Bacik, Bogdan; Cieślińska-Świder, Joanna; Plewa, Michał; Gajewska, M

doi:10.2478/v10078-010-0042-1

Cited by 18 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…The increasing weight in the anterior abdominal region leads to an increased forward-flexing torque of the lumbar spine motion segments and ankle joints. To reduce energy expenditure in terms of muscle work and to preserve anterior-posterior stability while standing, a pregnant woman adapts her posture by assuming a slight posterior body tilt [ 9 , 27 ]. According to Whitcome et al [ 8 ], the increased lumbar lordosis with the progression of pregnancy permits mothers to maintain a stable, unchanged anterior-posterior position of the center of mass.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gestational weight gain and its asymmetrical distribution mainly in the anterior abdominal region [ 7 ], adaptive postural changes necessary for the anterior-posterior center of gravity location readjustment [ 8 , 9 ], as well as increased joint laxity [ 10 , 11 ] may lead to the changes in a pregnant woman’s static stability. The transient stability changes may also be present in the postpartum period due to increased connective tissue laxity [ 12 ] and altered posture [ 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Static Postural Stability in Women during and after Pregnancy: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

Opala-Berdzik¹,

Błaszczyk

Bacik³

et al. 2015

PLoS ONE

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This longitudinal study aimed to compare static postural stability in women between early pregnancy, advanced pregnancy, and at 2 and 6 months postpartum. Forty-five pregnant women were enrolled and 31 completed the protocol. Data were collected at 7–16 and 34–39 weeks gestation, and at 6–10 and 26–30 weeks postpartum. For each subject, the center of foot pressure path length and mean velocity (with directional subcomponents) were computed from 30-s long quiet-standing trials on a stationary force plate with eyes open or closed. The body mass, stance width, and sleep duration within 24 h before testing were also recorded. Static postural stability was not different between pregnancy and postpartum, except for the anterior posterior sway tested in the eyes-closed condition, which was significantly increased in late pregnancy compared to that at 2 and 6 months postpartum. Pregnant/postpartum women’s body mass weakly positively correlated with anterior-posterior sway in the eyes-closed condition and their stance width weakly positively correlated with the anterior-posterior sway in the eyes-open condition. No effect of sleep duration on postural sway was found. Our findings indicate that under visual deprivation conditions women in advanced pregnancy may have decreased static stability compared to their non-pregnant state.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Static Postural Stability in Women during and after Pregnancy: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

Opala-Berdzik¹,

Błaszczyk

Bacik³

et al. 2015

PLoS ONE

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“…Some have suggested that increased lumbar lordosis provides females with a larger space for the fetus to develop, especially when the baby is forced into a flexed position due to space limitation [ 19 ]. Many authors have claimed that the increase of lordosis among females compensates for the increase of body weight during pregnancy, followed by the change in the torso center of mass [ 21 – 25 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Lumbar Lordosis in Males and Females, Revisited

et al. 2015

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BackgroundWhether differences exist in male and female lumbar lordosis has been debated by researchers who are divided as to the nature of variations in the spinal curve, their origin, reasoning, and implications from a morphological, functional and evolutionary perspective. Evaluation of the spinal curvature is constructive in understanding the evolution of the spine, as well as its pathology, planning of surgical procedures, monitoring its progression and treatment of spinal deformities. The aim of the current study was to revisit the nature of lumbar curve in males and females.MethodsOur new automated method uses CT imaging of the spine to measure lumbar curvature in males and females. The curves extracted from 158 individuals were based on the spinal canal, thus avoiding traditional pitfalls of using bone features for curve estimation. The model analysis was carried out on the entire curve, whereby both local and global descriptors were examined in a single framework. Six parameters were calculated: segment length, curve length, curvedness, lordosis peak location, lordosis cranial peak height, and lordosis caudal peak height.Principal FindingsCompared to males, the female spine manifested a statistically significant greater curvature, a caudally located lordotic peak, and greater cranial peak height. As caudal peak height is similar for males and females, the illusion of deeper lordosis among females is due partially to the fact that the upper part of the female lumbar curve is positioned more dorsally (more backwardly inclined).ConclusionsMales and females manifest different lumbar curve shape, yet similar amount of inward curving (lordosis). The morphological characteristics of the female spine were probably developed to reduce stress on the vertebral elements during pregnancy and nursing.

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“…Women adopted a barefoot standing position, with their feet pelvis-width apart, knees straight, arms by their sides, and with their hands facing inwards. Participants were told to stare at a mark set at eye level on the opposite wall, in order to avoid artefacts on the EMG signal caused by changes in head position [ 14 , 22 , 23 ]. They were asked to keep a natural, static, erect standing position: once the participant had adopted such position stably, angular displacement and EMG activity data were recorded for 5 seconds.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in trunk posture and muscle responses in standing during pregnancy and postpartum

2018

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The aim of this study was to analyze the position of the lumbopelvic region and the muscle activation of erector spinae and biceps femoris muscles in a group of pregnant women in the third trimester. The hypothesis was that pregnancy-related biomechanical and morphological changes modify the position of the lumbopelvic region and the activation of extensor muscles. The position of the lumbar spine and pelvis in the sagittal plane, and the EMG activity of the erector spinae and biceps femoris muscles, were recorded during standing in 34 nulliparous and 34 pregnant women in the third trimester, and also two months after birth in the group of pregnant women. No significant differences in the position of the lumbar spine or pelvis between the group of pregnant women and nulliparous or postpartum were observed. A significant increase was observed in the EMG activity of the erector spinae (4.6% vs 2.4% and 2.1% in the nulliparous group and postpartum respectively) and the biceps femoris (3.4% vs 1.2% and 1.4%) in pregnant women compared to the other two groups (p <0.01). We conclude that pregnant women in the third trimester show no alterations in lumbopelvic position compared to nulliparous and postpartum women. However, there is an increase of the EMG activity of the trunk extensors. These results indicate that the extensor muscles of the trunk show, in static positions, adaptive responses to the increase of anterior loads during pregnancy.

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The Influence of Pregnancy on the Location of the Center of Gravity in Standing Position

Cited by 18 publications

References 18 publications

Static Postural Stability in Women during and after Pregnancy: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

Static Postural Stability in Women during and after Pregnancy: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

The Lumbar Lordosis in Males and Females, Revisited

Changes in trunk posture and muscle responses in standing during pregnancy and postpartum

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