Alleviating low back pain in pregnant women by virtual exercise and digital support group

Introduction Low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal ailment affecting 60 to 70% of pregnant women. Exercise is a practical and cost-effective self-initiated strategy for alleviating these symptoms. However, the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted questions on how pregnant women could continue to engage in physical activity. Aims To analyse the effects of scheduled exercise on pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic with online accompaniment by healthcare professionals on the occurrence of LBP. Methods This study was designed as a quantitative, quasi-experimental study. The participants were women 20–32 weeks pregnant who met the eligibility criteria. The intervention group was scheduled for regular physical exercise for 4 weeks, while the control group was not. Each group was measured for disability level using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and pain intensity using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before and after intervention. Result After 4 weeks, the average ODI and VAS scores in the intervention group were 13.54 (SD 11.88; 95% CI 8.97–18.10) and 2.46 (2.14; 1.64–3.28), while in the control group, the scores were 36.00 (13.55; 30.79–41.21) and 5.38 (2.33; 4.48–6.28). Comparing scores before and after intervention, the intervention group revealed a significant decrease in VAS ( p < 0.001) and ODI score ( p < 0.05). Conversely, VAS and ODI scores significantly increased in the control group ( p < 0.001). Post-test scores between the two groups noted a significant difference ( p values <0.001). Conclusion Exercise via virtual accompaniment during pregnancy may help reduce LBP in pregnant women.