title: Effects of lower back pain on postural equilibrium and fall risk during the third trimester of pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of lower back pain (LBP) on postural equilibrium and fall risk during the third trimester pregnancy period by comparing postural stability between pregnant with LBP and pregnant without LBP control women.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population comprised 68 women of 24-35 years in the third trimester of pregnancy. They were divided into Groups 1 (n = 30) and 2 (n = 38) according to the presence or absence of LBP, respectively. Postural stability were evaluated between groups using Tetrax Interactive Balance System posturography (Tetrax, Sunlight Medical Ltd, Tel Aviv, Israel) with eight sensory conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For eight different positions, pregnant patients with LBP showed significantly higher values of general stability index, Fourier transformation index (F1, F2-F4, F5-F6 and F7-F8) and fall index than controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LBP has a negative effect on postural stability. Postural equilibrium decreases and fall risk increases in pregnant patients with LBP.
authors.affiliation: a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic, Gebze Fatih State Hospital , Kocaeli , Turkey .
authors.forename: Gülcan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Öztürk
authors.affiliation: b Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation , Haydarpaşa Numune Education and Research Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey .
authors.forename: Duygu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Geler Külcü
authors.affiliation: c Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation .
authors.forename: Ece
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aydoğ
authors.affiliation: d Department of Biostatistics , and.
authors.forename: Çiğdem
authors.initials: Ç
authors.lastname: Kaspar
authors.affiliation: e Department of Neurology , Yeditepe University Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Burcu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Uğurel
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000502:physiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Equilibrium; lower back pain; pregnancy