title: Spinal curvature and characteristics of postural change in pregnant women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pregnant women often report complaints due to physiological and postural changes. Postural changes during pregnancy may cause low back pain and pelvic girdle pain. This study aimed to compare the characteristics of postural changes in pregnant compared with non-pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnancy care center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen women at 17-34 weeks pregnancy comprised the study group, while 10 non-pregnant female volunteers comprised the control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standing posture was evaluated in the sagittal plane with static digital pictures. Two angles were measured by image analysis software: (1) between the trunk and pelvis; and (2) between the trunk and lower extremity. Spinal curvature was measured with Spinal Mouse® to calculate the means of sacral inclination, thoracic and lumbar curvature and inclination.
  
  
  METHODS
  The principal components were calculated until eigenvalues surpassed 1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three distinct factors with eigenvalues of 1.00-2.49 were identified, consistent with lumbosacral spinal curvature and inclination, thoracic spine curvature, and inclination of the body. These factors accounted for 77.2% of the total variance in posture variables. Eleven pregnant women showed postural characteristics of lumbar kyphosis and sacral posterior inclination. Body inclination showed a variety of patterns compared with those in healthy women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spinal curvature demonstrated a tendency for lumbar kyphosis in pregnant women. Pregnancy may cause changes in spinal curvature and posture, which may in turn lead to relevant symptoms. Our data provide a basis for investigating the effects of spinal curvature and postural changes on symptoms during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Hiroshima International University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan. n-okani@hs.hirokoku-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Natsuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okanishi
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kito
authors.forename: Mitoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D010781:Photography; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013121:Spinal Curvatures / Q000503:physiopathology*