Proprioceptive, Fear-related and Inflammatory Factors in the Persistence of Pregnancy-related Lumbopelvic Pain.

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Low Back Pain, Lumbopelvic Pain, Pelvic Girdle Pain

In brief

Pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain (PLPP) affects 50-90% of pregnant women and is often dismissed as a normal part of pregnancy. However, the long-term consequences can be dramatic. Up to 21% of women with PLPP still have pain three years postpartum, and 10% experience disability, poorer quality of life, and lower ability to work 11 years after delivery. Because the multifactorial etiology of PLPP is unclear, prevention and treatment fall short. Previous studies on the causes of PLPP focused on impairments in motor output but ignored that impairments in sensory input (e.g., proprioception, the primary expertise of our research group) often precede motor output problems. Moreover, though psychological factors such as fear (of movement) are known to affect PLPP, their predictive role in PLPP remains understudied. Finally, the role of systemic inflammation in PLPP has yet to be examined, despite recent studies demonstrating its role in the chronification of lumbopelvic pain in the general population. This prospective cohort study aims to identify new modifiable predictors for the onset of PLPP during pregnancy and its persistence postpartum. The investigators will compare sensory (proprioception, body perception), fear-related, and inflammatory factors between women with and without PLPP and determine their predictive role in the onset and persistence of PLPP. The results will increase our understanding of the multifactorial etiology of PLPP and help optimize prevention and treatment.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06785909

Run by

Hasselt University

People needed

211

Starts

2025-03-03

Expected to finish

2028-12-31

Last updated by the study team

2025-12-02

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 40. Sex: female. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Informed consent to participate
• 18-40 years old
• Pregnant
• Singleton pregnancy (confirmed through ultrasound)
• No current PLPP
• Dutch- or English-speaking

You may not qualify if…

• Pregnant for more than 16 weeks
• Currently experiencing PLPP, or having had PLPP during the index pregnancy
• History of surgery or major trauma to the spine or pelvis, major trauma or surgery to the lower limbs more than 2 years ago with current residual symptoms (e.g., pain, instability, stiffness), major trauma or surgery to the lower limbs less than 2 years ago
• Specific vestibular or balance disorders
• Use of medication that could affect balance (e.g., ototoxic or centrally-acting drugs)
• Having a medical diagnosis for, being treated by a rheumatologist for, or taking medication for a rheumatic condition
• (History of) a neurological disorder (e.g., neuropathy)
• Problems with vision that are not corrected by glasses, contact lenses or surgical eye correction
• Recent history of ankle problem (e.g., ankle sprain less than 3 weeks ago)
• Being on absolute/relative bed rest due to pregnancy complications
• (History of) inflammatory (e.g., gout, endometriosis), (auto)immune (e.g., lupus, ankylosis spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, Graves' disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, colitis ulcerosa, multiple sclerosis, etc.), hypothyroidism, or cancer.
• Having (had) a formal diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder (e.g., psychotic disorder).

Where it is running

• Hasselt University — Hasselt, Belgium (enrolling)
• KU Leuven — Leuven, Belgium (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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