فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal complaints during pregnancy, often leading to discomfort, reduced mobility, and impaired quality of life. Among non-pharmacological management options, maternity support belts are frequently recommended as a simple and safe approach to alleviate pregnancy-related LBP.Objective: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of two different types of maternity support belts with those of standard conservative therapy on pain intensity and functional disability among pregnant women experiencing LBP.Methods: This randomized controlled trial included 90 pregnant women with LBP who were recruited from the prenatal clinic of Shahid Mostafa Khomeini Teaching Hospital in Tehran, Iran, between 2022 and 2023. Pain intensity and functional disability were measured at baseline and after a two-week intervention using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16, employing descriptive statistics, Chi-square (χ²) tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis and Wilcoxon tests where appropriate.Results: Both types of support belts led to a statistically significant reduction in mean LBP intensity. In the routine-belt group, pain scores decreased from 5.37±1.47 to 3.30±1.05, while in the strapped-belt group they declined from 5.37±1.21 to 3.30±1.05 (P<0.001 for both). In contrast, participants receiving conservative therapy exhibited a significant worsening of pain, with VAS scores increasing from 4.43±1.50 at baseline to 5.07±1.63 after two weeks (P<0.003). Similarly, both ODI scores and overall disability severity improved significantly in the belt groups compared with the conservative-treatment group at follow-up. The strapped-belt group demonstrated a greater improvement in functional outcomes, with ODI decreasing from 22.67±4.67 to 14.07±5.33, compared with the routine-belt group (from 22.63±6.49 to 16.43±6.36), and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.003).Conclusion: Maternity support belts, particularly strapped designs, are effective in significantly reducing pain intensity and functional disability associated with LBP during pregnancy compared with conventional conservative therapy. Therefore, their use can be recommended as an effective, safe, and accessible intervention to relieve LBP and enhance physical functioning in pregnant women.