Pre-pregnancy physical activity may not prevent persistent lower back or pelvic pain after pregnancy. To investigate the potential influence of pre-pregnancy physical activity on lower back or pelvic pain after pregnancy, researchers from America collected data at 6 months postpartum from 464 women who had reported recurrent or continuous lumbar spine or pelvic pain for more than 1 week during pregnancy. Overall, 82 percent of these women reported having participated in some form of physical activity before pregnancy. It was found that about half of the women with persistent lower back or pelvic pain 6 months after delivery reported similar levels of leisure-time physical activity, as did women without post-pregnancy back pain. About 43, 53, and 45 percent with recurrent, continuous, and no pain, respectively, reported current physical activity. On an average, the women began post-partum physical activity three months after childbirth and reported being physically active four times per week on an average. Moreover, obesity did appear to affect current physical activity. A higher proportion of non-obese women (body mass index of less than 30) versus obese women (30 or greater) reported current physical activity. The above findings do not support physical activity as protective against post-pregnancy lower back and pelvic pain among women who develop such pain during pregnancy. Further research is needed to investigate the determinants and outcomes of physical activity before, during, and after pregnancy.
BMC Public Health
December 2008