ABSTRACT
Gait analysis was conducted on 7 healthy pregnant women (pregnant group) and 6 non-pregnant women (pseudo-pregnant group) using a 3-D motion analysis system (VICON 460) and two forceplates (Kistlar 9286A). The data was collected at 8-9 months of gestation (pregnant condition) and 4-8 months postpartum (non-pregnant condition) in the pregnant group. In the pseudo-pregnant group, the participants walked with a 5kg-load on their belly (pregnant condition) and without any load (non-pregnant condition). Comparisons using two-way ANOVAs with repeated measures were conducted. Interaction of group × condition was not observed in the measured gait parameters except the angle of the maximum hip adduction. Main effect in the condition and the group was found in some parameters. In the pregnant condition, gait velocity was slower (pregnant group 68.7±8.6 m/min pseudo-pregnant group 63.8±4.8 m/min) than in the non-pregnant condition (pregnant group 75.5±3.2 m/min pseudo-pregnant group 69.8±8.7 m/min). The second vertical peak ground reaction force was smaller in the pregnant condition (pregnant group 105.4±4.8 % pseudo-pregnant group 108.4±6.3 % of body-weight) than in the non-pregnant condition (pregnant group 114.3±7.4 % pseudo-pregnant group 113.5±4.2 % of body-weight). These results demonstrated that pregnant condition changed kinetic and kinematic characteristics of the gait.