european college of sport science

10:15 - 11:45
Oral presentations
OP-HF01 Health and Fitness 1
OP-HF01 Health and Fitness 1
EFFECT OF AEROBIC DANCE ON BLOOD PRESSURE IN PREVIOUSLY INACTIVE PREGNANT WOMEN - A RANDOMIZED
CONTROLLED TRIAL
EDVARDSEN, E., HAAKSTAD, L.A., HALVORSEN, S., BØ, K.
NORWEGIAN SCHOOL OF SPORT SCIENCES
Introduction: In pregnant women, regular exercise has showed beneficial effects on numerous of health outcomes such as gestational
diabetes and pregnant induced hypertension (1). Limited data are available on how regular training affects blood pressure (BP) in pregnant
women in rest and during exercise. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a supervised exercise program on
blood pressure at rest (BPrest) and during exercise (BPexercise) in previously inactive non-hypertensive pregnant women.
Methods: 105 healthy sedentary primiparous pregnant women, mean gestational week 17 (SD ± 4,19), mean age 31 yrs (SD ± 4,05), mean
BMI 25 (SD ± 4,18), were included in the study. After measurement of BPrest, the subject walked on a treadmill for measuring of BPexercise,
heart rate and blood lactate concentration at different sub maximal workloads for establishment of anaerobic threshold (AT). They
were then randomized to either an intervention or a control group. The intervention consisted of two to three aerobic dance sessions per
week and minimum 30 minutes of daily self-exposed activity the rest of the days. All participants performed a post exercise test at mean
gestation week 37 (SD ± 1,03). Mean differences in BT between exercise and control group were analysed by Independent Sample Student’s
T-test in rest and during AT.
Results: During the training period, drop-out rates were 34,6 % in the exercise group and 47,2 % in the control group. In addition, those
subjects who participated in < 80 % of the aerobic dance sessions, or who did not reach AT during the pre-post exercise testing were
excluded.
BPrest before intervention was in the exercise (n= 52) and the control group (n=47) 115/66 mmHg (SD ± 11,73/7,30) and 115/67 mmHg (SD
± 10,07/9,06) [mean sys/dia (SD)], respectively (sys: p=0,997, dia: p=0,349). BPrest after the intervention did not change significantly
between the exercise (n= 19) and the control group (n=26);3,7/7,6 mmHg (SD ± 9,55/7,52) and 1,3/8,3 mmHg (SD ± 11,54/7,22), respectively.
BPexercise at AT before intervention was in the exercise (n=13) and the control group (n=16) 149/61 mmHg (SD ± 14,54/7,26) and
157/62 mmHg (SD ± 9,95/8,53), respectively, and did not change significantly after the intervention (sys: p=0,31, dia: p=0,68).
Discussion: Regular exercise training in previously inactive non-hypertensive pregnant women seems to have no effect on blood pressure
at rest and during exercise. Further, rise in blood pressure from rest to AT seems normal in both intervention- and control group in second
as well as in third trimester.
References
1. Dye TD, Knox KL, Artal R, Aubry RH, Wojtowycz MA. Physical activity, obesity, and diabetes in pregnancy. Am J Epidemiol 1997;146:961-
5.
IS PELVIC FLOOR MUSLCE STRENGTH TRAINING EFFECTIVE WHEN TAUGHT IN A GENERAL FITNESS CLASS FOR PREG-
NANT WOMEN? A SINGLE BLIND RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
BØ, K., HAAKSTAD, L.A.H.
NORWEGIAN SCHOOL OF SPORT SCIENCES
Introduction: A Cochrane review has shown that pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is effective in prevention and treatment of urinary and
fecal incontinence in the peripartum period (1). The training programs used in the different randomized controlled trials followed vaginal
palpation of ability to perform a correct contraction and were taught individually by trained physical therapists. The aim of the present
study was to evaluate the effectiveness of PFMT given in a general fitness class for pregnant women instructed by lay instructors and with
no vaginal palpation.
Methods: One hundred and five primiparous women, mean age 30.7 years (SD 4.1) were randomized to either participation in two
weekly one hour fitness classes including 35 minutes of low impact aerobic dance, 20 minutes of strength training with emphasize of the
abdominals- back and pelvic floor muscles (3 sets of 8-12 close contractions) and 5 minutes of stretching/ relaxation. Outcome measure
was number of women reporting urinary, flatus or anal incontinence based on questions from the Severity index and the International
Consultation of Incontinence Questionnaire Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ UI-SF). Comparison of prevalence was done before the
intervention (mean gestational week 17.7), after the intervention (mean gestational week 6.6) and postpartum (mean week 7.7). Chi-
Square and Fischer Exact tests were used for analyses and p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: There was no difference in number of women with any type of incontinence before the intervention. Drop-out rates were 21.1 %
and 24.5% in the training and control groups, respectively. 27.5% followed all training sessions, with a mean adherence of 17.2 (SD 12.5,
range 1-55) out of 24 possible training cessions. Twenty-one women (40.4%) attended &#8805; 80% of the training sessions. Number of
women reporting urinary, flatus or anal incontinence immediately after the intervention were 17/42, 11/42, 1/42 and 16/42, 9/42, 1/42 in
the training and control groups, respectively. Postpartum the corresponding numbers were: 12/43, 10/43, 1/43 and 13/47, 8/47, 3/47,
respectively. No significant differences were found between the training and control groups at any evaluation point.
Discussion: There was no effect of a general fitness program including PFMT on reported urinary, flatus or fecal incontinence during
pregnancy or after childbirth. The negative findings may be explained by an exceptional low adherence rate, instruction by lay instructors
and no assessment of ability to conduct a correct PFM contraction. Future studies are recommended with larger sample size and use of
more adherence strategies.
References:
1. Hay-Smith J et al. Pelvic floor muscle training for prevention and treatment of urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal
women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD007471. doi:10.1002/ 14651858. CD007471.
136 14 TH
ANNUAL CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN COLLEGE OF SPORT SCIENCE