ABSTRACT
The benefits of rigorous physical activity have long been proclaimed by the medical
community. However, consensus regarding exercise duration and intensity in pregnancy
has been more difficult to achieve. Conservative exercise guidelines for pregnant
women were issued broadly in the 1980s due to limited evidence regarding safety. More
recent evidence has failed to demonstrate ill effects of physical activity during
pregnancy, as any effects on the mother and the fetus have thus far shown to be positive.
The physical discomfort experienced by virtually all women during pregnancy, nearly
25% of whom experience at least temporarily disabling symptoms, is often a barrier
to participation in an exercise program. An approach to developing an exercise program
during pregnancy will be discussed in this article, as well as the potential benefits
of such a program for the maternal–fetal unit, and common pregnancy-related musculoskeletal
conditions, including a discussion of the anatomy, physiology, diagnosis, and treatment
of such disorders.
KEYWORDS
Pregnancy - orthopedic - musculoskeletal - exercise - sports
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Joanne P Borg-SteinM.D.
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Wellesley
125 Nashua Street, Boston, MA 02114
Email: jborgstein@partners.org
