ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2014
Finger joint laxity, number of previous pregnancies and pregnancy induced back pain in a cohort study.
Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 32 citations in OpenAlex.
- Predictive Factors for Pregnancy-Related Persistent Pelvic Girdle Pain (PPGP): A Systematic Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2023Pooled it
- Assessment of physical fitness during pregnancy: validity and reliability of fitness tests, and relationship with maternal and neonatal health - a systematic review.BMJ open sport & exercise medicine · 2022Pooled it
- Pregnancy-related transverse arch deformation: a subject-specific finite element analysis of the contributions of body weight and tissue stiffness.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Neuromusculoskeletal disorders in pregnancy revisited: Insights and clinical implications.Joint diseases and related surgery · 2025Review
- Asymmetric changes in foot anthropometry with pregnancy may be related to onset of lower limb and low back pain.PloS one · 2024Article
- Influence of Physical Activity Including Squat Exposure on Trunk Muscle Strength and Labour Outcome in Pregnant Women.International journal of exercise science · 2024Article
- Pregnancy-related Hand and Wrist Problems.The archives of bone and joint surgery · 2021Article
- Associations between the number of children, age at childbirths and prevalence of chronic low back pain: the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study.BMC public health · 2020Article
- Validity of the self-reported five-part questionnaire as an assessment of generalized joint hypermobility in early pregnancy.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2020Article
- The Association of Self-Reported Generalized Joint Hypermobility with pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2020Article
- Assessment of Pelvic-Lumbar-Thigh Biomechanics to Optimize The Childbirth Position: An "In Vivo" Innovative Biomechanical Study.Scientific reports · 2019Article
- Sexual Dimorphism and the Origins of Human Spinal Health.Endocrine reviews · 2018Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundGeneral joint hypermobility is estimated to affect about 10% of the population and is a prerequisite of heritable connective tissue disorders where fragile connective tissue is a prominent feature. Pregnancy induced back pain is common whereas about 10% of women still have disabling pain several years after childbirth. The pathogenesis of the pain condition is uncertain, although several risk factors are suggested including general joint hypermobility. In the present study, the possible association of peripheral joint mobility in early pregnancy on the incidence of back pain with onset during pregnancy and persisting after childbirth was explored.
methodsA cohort of 200 pregnant women recruited from antenatal health care clinics was assessed by questionnaire and clinical examination, including measurement of passive abduction of the left fourth finger, throughout pregnancy and at 13 weeks postpartum. Comparisons were made between women with and without back pain. Statistical tests used were χ2-test, t-test, Spearman correlation and multiple logistic regression.
resultsIn the cohort, the mean passive abduction angle of the left fourth finger increased from 40.1° in early pregnancy to 41.8° at the postpartum appointment. At the postpartum appointment, women in the back pain group had a significantly larger mean passive abduction angle of the left fourth finger of 4.4°, twice as many previous pregnancies and deliveries, and more than twice as frequent back pain in previous pregnancy, as compared with women with no persistent back pain. A similar pattern was displayed in late pregnancy. In a multiple regression analysis, the passive abduction angle of the left fourth finger in early pregnancy and the number of previous pregnancies were positively, significantly and independently associated to the incidence of back pain in late pregnancy and postpartum.
conclusionsFinger joint laxity as a reflection of constitutional weakness of connective tissue and number of previous pregnancies were associated with the development of back pain induced in pregnancy and persisting after childbirth. These factors may provide a foundation for development of targeted prevention strategies, but this have to be confirmed in future research including measurement of general joint laxity.
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