Shoulder and elbow requirements during sagittal reach as a result of changing anthropometry throughout pregnancy

Chantel B Eckland1, Anita Vasavada2, Robert D Catena3

  • 1Washington State University, 19 Smith Gym, Pullman, WA, 99164-1410, USA.

Applied Ergonomics
|March 16, 2021
PubMed

During pregnancy, anthropometric and physiological changes can result in difficulty reaching for and lifting everyday objects. The aims of this study were to determine the changes in sagittal plane anterior reach space (SPARS) and shoulder/elbow strength requirements throughout pregnancy. Seventeen participants were tested through a longitudinal observational cohort study between 16 and 36 weeks gestation in four-week intervals. A 25% decrease in SPARS was observed at the L3-4 torso height. Combined with arm mass increases, shoulder and elbow moment requirements at the minimum and maximum static reach distances significantly increased. However, inverse dynamics analysis determined that mass gains in the arm alone only minimally impact dynamic shoulder moments. Additionally, torso flexion increases throughout pregnancy demonstrates that women are attempting to compensate for decreased SPARS, possibly indicating the additional perceptual importance of reach space in accommodations for pregnant workers.

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