Temporal and spatial parameters of gait during pregnancy
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Updated: Apr 3, 2026
Clinical Assessment of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients and Older Adults
Published on: November 7, 2014
Jeanne Bertuit1, Véronique Feipel1, Marcel Rooze1
1Laboratory of Functional Anatomy, Faculty of Motor Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
Purpose:
The objective of this study was to describe spatial and temporal parameters during gait in pregnant women, and to compare it with women in post-partum and with a control group.
Methods:
To investigate alteration in natural locomotion, we used an electronic walkway (GAITRite system). Fifty-eight pregnant women (four last months of pregnancy), nine post-partum women and twenty-three healthy nulligravidae women participated in this study. The women performed the motor task at three different speeds: preferred, fast and slow. Spatial and temporal parameters for pregnant and non-pregnant were compared.
Results:
In pregnant women, gait speed, step length and cadence were reduced. Consequently, cycle time was longer. The gait cycle was modified by an increase of stance phase and a decrease of swing phase. As a result, an increase of double support and a decrease of single support phases were observed. Step width increased by 15%.
Conclusions:
The pattern of gait displayed significant modifications during pregnancy as compared to nulliparous women. These changes favour a more stable and safe gait. After childbirth, women kept some characteristics of gait in pregnancy during 8 months.
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