Low back pain (LBP) is the most prevalent musculoskeletal condition and leading cause of disability globally. In pregnant women, pain frequently involves lumbar region and pelvic girdle, so the term pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain (PLPP) is adopted. Biological, psychological, and social factors influence the development and perception of LBP during pregnancy, recognising multidimensional variables such as kinesiophobia, catastrophising, body surveillance, and functionality appreciation.
Unlike previous research, this study jointly examined established biopsychosocial factors and underexplored multidimensional constructs, particularly body surveillance and functionality appreciation, in relation to PLPP intensity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the intensity of LBP and variables included in the biopsychosocial model, in addition to the creation of an exploratory model to identify the variables with the greatest relative importance for pain classification. A multicentre cross-sectional observational study was conducted in pregnant women aged over 18 years and in the third trimester, with or without PLPP.
Pain intensity was measured and categorised into three levels, and sociodemographic, biological, psychosocial, and multidimensional variables were evaluated. 262 pregnant women were included in the study. The variables of BMI, educational level, anxiety and depression, kinesiophobia, and catastrophising showed significant differences in relation to the pain intensity categories. The exploratory model identified BMI and catastrophising as the variables with the greatest relative importance for pain classification.
This analysis of LBP in pregnant women showed significant differences in catastrophising, kinesiophobia, BMI, educational level, anxiety, and depression according to their pain levels. Hospital anxiety and depression scale-anxiety Hospital anxiety and depression scale-depression The authors would like to express our gratitude to the pregnant women who participated in this study for their contribution and willingness to be a part of this research. This research was supported by the Generalitat Valenciana (Grants for emerging research groups: CIGE/2022/178).
Department of Physiotherapy, Universidad Cardenal Herrera CEU, CEU Universities, Carrer Lluís Vives, 1, Alfara del Patriarca, 46115, Valencia, Spain Francisco José Ferrer-Sargues, Maria Dolores Arguisuelas, Juan J. Amer-Cuenca & Gemma Biviá-Roig Department of Biomedical Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain Celia García-Lucas & Juan Francisco Lisón Department of Mathematics, Physics and Technological Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain Department of Nursing, Universidad Cardenal Herrera CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital IMED, Valencia, Spain Department of Physical Therapy, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain The authors declare no competing interests. Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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