Sacroiliac Joint Pain and Joint Mobility in Postpartum Women: A Prospective Cohort Study

Author(s):

Amna Taufiq, Amna Zia, Muniba Afzal, Samrood Akram, Samra Nadeem and Naveed Anwar*

Introduction: The incidence of SIJ pain during pregnancy is 78.7%. SIJ pain has been found to be progressive throughout the three trimesters of pregnancy. Pelvis that is tilted anteriorly in the first trimester of pregnancy is risk factors for sacroiliac joint pain. Pain in the sacroiliac joint can lead to significant overall mobility restrictions for women.

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine changes in pain severity, mobility of the sacroiliac joint and changes in sacroiliac joint pain diagnostic tests effects at 37^th week of pregnancy and 8 weeks after delivery.

Methodology: The study was prospective longitudinal study; convenient non-probability sampling technique was used to collect the data. Females between the ages of 18 to 35 who were pregnant at the time study was conducted were diagnosed for sacroiliac joint pain with physical testing. Intensity of pain and pelvic mobility were determined using visual analogue scale and pregnancy mobility index after 37^th week of pregnancy. Then, 8 weeks after delivery only those patient who had normal mode of delivery were called upon for a follow up whereby the combination of test were reapplied for the second time and pain along with pelvic mobility were reassessed and compared.

Results: Pre and postpartum comparison of VAS and PMI has showed that there was a significant difference in pain and pelvic mobility, the mean for pain intensity at 37^th week prepartum was 7.05 ± 1.339 and at 8 weeks postpartum was 4.40 ± 2.146 while mean for PMI at 37^th week prepartum was 27.88 ± 9.067 and at 8 weeks postpartum was 22.20 ± 10.125 with p value <0.05.

Conclusion: It was concluded that women with intense pain levels and significant limitations of movement during the last month of pregnancy had substantial reduction in frequency of pain intensity along with increase in house and outdoor movement after two months of delivery.