Gait & posture · 2024
The role of waddling gait in balance control during pregnancy.
СтатьяНазвание и аннотация: Перевод в очереди
Обработка статьи · этапы, ошибки и управление
Загрузка состояния…
Ошибки и ограничения
История · было → стало
Состояние обновляется каждые 5 секунд, пока блок открыт. Процент показывается только там, где известен объём работы. Пауза останавливает продолжение этапа; текущий запрос к источнику может завершиться.
Abedzadehzavareh Zahra, Catena Robert D
Аннотация
BACKGROUND: Pregnant people experience many physical changes which might affect their walking pattern. Waddling gait is a common gait pattern pregnant individuals adopt. It is unknown whether waddling gait is a sign of poor balance or a protective mechanism against loss of balance, so the aim of this study was to understand why some pregnant individuals adopt this gait pattern.
METHODS: We assessed twenty-three pregnant individuals longitudinally in 4-week intervals between 18 and 34 weeks of gestation. Participants completed a quiet standing balance trial and a walking trial. We measured spatiotemporal variables and body center of mass motion, from which we derived measures of balance and gait energetics. Forward-step multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the correlation between step width (as a measure of waddling) and the other variables.
RESULTS: We found a positive correlation between change in step width average and change in lateral motion of the center of mass during walking (R2=0.624, P<0.001) and change in step width standard deviation and change in minimum center of gravity distance to the lateral border (R2=0.339, p=0.004), suggesting wider steps help recapture balance during pregnancy. Surprisingly, no significant relationship was found between change in step width and changes in energy recovery (p=0.341) or mechanical work (p=0.482), indicating that taking wider steps is not inefficient. A negative correlation between change in step width and change in standing anteroposterior center of mass motion (R2=0.315, p=0.005) suggests better balance control among people that adopt a waddling gait pattern.
SIGNIFICANCE: This study suggests that waddling gait is a protective mechanism during pregnancy. Clinicians and prosthetists can use this insight to promote step width during walking among pregnant individuals to increase their safety.
METHODS: We assessed twenty-three pregnant individuals longitudinally in 4-week intervals between 18 and 34 weeks of gestation. Participants completed a quiet standing balance trial and a walking trial. We measured spatiotemporal variables and body center of mass motion, from which we derived measures of balance and gait energetics. Forward-step multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the correlation between step width (as a measure of waddling) and the other variables.
RESULTS: We found a positive correlation between change in step width average and change in lateral motion of the center of mass during walking (R2=0.624, P<0.001) and change in step width standard deviation and change in minimum center of gravity distance to the lateral border (R2=0.339, p=0.004), suggesting wider steps help recapture balance during pregnancy. Surprisingly, no significant relationship was found between change in step width and changes in energy recovery (p=0.341) or mechanical work (p=0.482), indicating that taking wider steps is not inefficient. A negative correlation between change in step width and change in standing anteroposterior center of mass motion (R2=0.315, p=0.005) suggests better balance control among people that adopt a waddling gait pattern.
SIGNIFICANCE: This study suggests that waddling gait is a protective mechanism during pregnancy. Clinicians and prosthetists can use this insight to promote step width during walking among pregnant individuals to increase their safety.