Development of an integrated evaluation system for low back pain during pregnancy based on spinal column motion

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19348
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Metropolitan University (2022-2023); Osaka Prefecture University (2020-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Morino Saori 大阪公立大学, 大学院リハビリテーション学研究科, 講師 (10822588)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 妊婦 / 慣性センサ / 動作解析 / 腰痛 / 評価

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The shape of the spinal column of the trunk of a pregnant woman was measured while they were standing and sitting on a chair by using a sheet-like device connected to an inertial measurement sensor, and the posture of their spine was measured not only when they were at rest but also during movement. It has also become possible to evaluate movements of the trunk such as rotation. Next, by using the obtained exercise evaluation results to examine the relationship with ground reaction force data as a mechanical element, differences in the position and fluctuation of the center of gravity in a static standing posture were found and the possibility of evaluating movement characteristics such as trunk control was demonstrated. Furthermore, the spinal movement strategies of pregnant women with low back pain were evaluated by comparing the differences in each movement index between groups divided by the degree of low back pain.

Free Research Field

ウィメンズヘルスリハビリテーション

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、未だ少ない妊婦を対象とした運動解析を伴う研究であり、かつ、これまで可視化が困難であった脊柱の動きと力学的負荷を統合的に確認し、腰痛発生との関係性の評価方法を検討したものであり、ウィメンズヘルスおよびバイオメカニクス領域において今後の発展の一助となるものと考える。また、本研究にて使用・検討したセンサやシステムは、妊婦への負担やリスクを最小限にすることを念頭に構築したため、今回対象とした妊婦のみならず、多様な対象者に対しての応用が可能である。特に薬物治療や侵襲的治療が困難な事例に対しての利用が応用されれば、リハビリテーション分野の発展、ひいては医療処置の多様性に貢献できる。