title: Specific exercises to treat pregnancy-related low back pain in a South African population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of an exercise program, including specific stabilizing exercises, on pain intensity and functional ability in women with pregnancy-related low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty women between 16 and 24 weeks of pregnancy were recruited at Tygerberg and Paarl Hospitals, Western Cape, South Africa. Twenty-six women were randomized to a 10-week exercise program and 24 were randomized as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, the most frequent type of back pain experienced was lumbar pain (36 [72.0%]). Pain intensity (P=0.76) and functional ability (P=0.29) were comparable between the groups on study entry. In the study group, there was a significant improvement in pain intensity (P<0.01) and an improvement in functional ability (P=0.06) at the end of the study. In the control group, there were no significant changes in pain intensity (P=0.89) or functional ability (P=0.70) at the end of the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A specific exercise program decreased back pain intensity and increased functional ability during pregnancy in South African women with lumbar and pelvic girdle pain.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. judykluge@sun.ac.za
authors: Judith
authors: J
authors: Kluge
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Hall
authors: Quinette
authors: Q
authors: Louw
authors: Gerhard
authors: G
authors: Theron
authors: Debbie
authors: D
authors: Grové
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D013019:South Africa; D016896:Treatment Outcome