Effect of Foot Anthropometric Measurements on Pain and Functional Disability of Pregnant and Nonpregnant Women.

Background: Weight gain during pregnancy, loosening of the foot ligaments with relaxin hormone release, and anthropometric and biomechanical changes can be seen in the foot with the growing fetus. We sought to determine whether these pregnancy-related changes cause painful musculoskeletal problems by altering the proximal structures of the lower extremities and the structure of the spine.

Methods: Both feet of 210 women (half in the third trimester of pregnancy) aged 18 to 40 years with similar demographic characteristics were evaluated by measuring navicular drop, hallux valgus angle, foot width, foot length, and tibiocalcaneal angle. Foot Function Index for foot-ankle, Kujala Patellofemoral Score for knee, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index for hip, Oswestry Disability Index for waist, and Modified Neck Disability Index for neck were used to determine pain and functional limitation.

Results: Pain and functional disability in the waist, hip, knee, and foot-ankle joints; navicular drop; hallux valgus angle; and tibiocalcaneal angle were significantly higher in pregnant women versus the control group (P < .001). Pain and dysfunction in all of the joints increased as navicular drop increased in pregnant and nonpregnant women. In addition, the increase in other anthropometric measurements in both groups was determined to caused pain and functional disability in most of the women, especially in foot-ankle joints. However, the cause of joint pain and functional deficiencies was unrelated to pregnancy.

Conclusions: Foot deformities and proximal region complaints were significantly higher in pregnant women, and foot deformities caused more foot-ankle pain and disability in both groups. No difference was observed in pregnant women versus the control group.