Abstract

Low back pain (LBP) is a common problem of pregnant women. The aim of the study was the assessment of the impact of classic massage on LBP among pregnant women. The group of 57 pregnant women was included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups. The women in Group 1 (n=28) were subjected to a series of classic massage treatments, performed by their partners (after instruction during antenatal classes). Women in Group 2 (n=29) did not change their lifestyle. The applied research tools were the following: The Numerical Pain Rating Scale (VAS), Roland-Morris Questionnaire, Spielberger’s Questionnaire and the authors’ tailored survey. Mann-Whitney U- test was used for comparison of the results between the groups. The minimum level of signi­ficance was set at p<0.05.After the series of treatments, the LBP (measured by VAS) was significantly lower in the research group (p=0.018). A po­sitive impact of massage performed by the partner on the functional activity (p=0.041) as well as and on self-esteem and psychological state (p=0.014) was proved. 1. Massage reduces LBP in pregnant women. 2. Massage performed by pregnant women’s partners may fa­vourably affect the women’s mental condition and improve their general well-being.

Key words:

pregnant women, massage, lower back pain