The Effectiveness of Regular Exercise Programs in the Prevention of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus-A Systematic Review.

Importance: Physical activity is recognized as one of the most important tools in the management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Objective: The aim of this review was to compare and analyze regular prenatal exercise programs and examine their effectiveness in the prevention of GDM.

Evidence Acquisition: The following databases were used: Academic Search Complete, Health Source-Consumer Edition, Health Source-Nursing/Academic Edition, Master File Premier, MEDLINE, and SportDiscus with full text.

Does the first trimester of pregnancy induce alterations in the walking pattern?

Introduction: From among many studies observing the walking pattern throughout pregnancy, only two items monitor the influence of pregnancy on the movement system during gait considering the period before gestation.

Research Question: Does the women's gait pattern at the end of the first trimester undergo changes in comparison to body movement pattern before pregnancy?

Methods: All subjects who met the inclusion criteria gave signed and informed consent before the study. Two experimental sessions were arranged according to the same protocol: (P0) before pregnancy and (P1) at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy (12th week of gestation).

Gait assessment of the expectant mothers - Systematic review.

Introduction: Since pregnant women may have potentially greater difficulty maintaining balance, their stability has been investigated by some researchers. However, there is no consensus considering the results. The purpose of our investigation was to compare all the experimental studies focusing on the analysis of gait that have been conducted over the last years to assess their methodological issues and changes induced by pregnancy.

Movement concepts approach in studies on flamenco dancing: A systematic review.

Background: Flamenco is a highly emotional and demanding dance form. It is important to understand how the dancer's body works in order to improve fitness levels and reduce injuries. Thus, our investigation reviewed studies on kinesiological aspects of flamenco over recent years.

Physical Activity Assessment During Gestation and Its Outcomes: A Review.

Background: Physical activity recommendations emphasize a positive influence of exercise on health. It is particularly recognized during pregnancy for both the mother and fetus.

Aim: This review aims to identify the main trends of activity undertaken by women during gestation and to find out how it affects the expecting mother and her child.

An evaluation of symmetry in the lower limb joints during the able-bodied gait of women and men.

For many years, mainly to simplify data analysis, scientists assumed that during a gait, the lower limbs moved symmetrically. However, even a cursory survey of the more recent literature reveals that the human walk is symmetrical only in some aspects. That is why the presence of asymmetry should be considered in all studies of locomotion.

Changes of kinematic gait parameters due to pregnancy.

When a woman becomes pregnant her body undergoes tremendous changes hormonally and anatomically. Our survey revealed very little literature on biomechanics of gait in gravidas and lack of consensus among scientists in pregnancy-related mechanisms of body adaptation. That is why the authors felt encouraged to determine the effect of pregnancy on the biomechanical pattern of walking.

Three-dimensional analysis of the pelvic and hip mobility during gait on a treadmill and on the ground.

Pelvic girdle combines two units: passenger and locomotor. That is why the importance of this part of the body is emphasized by all researchers in terms of gait economy. The purpose of our research was to determine the changes of pelvic girdle mobility and hip joint in men in three planes of movement (sagittal, frontal and horizontal) during gait at a speed of 5 km/h.

Influence of surface on kinematic gait parameters and lower extremity joints mobility.

In biomechanical studies of human locomotion, treadmill is a widely used measuring device. The purpose of this paper was to determine the values of kinematic parameters describing gait with the velocity of 5 km/h, both on the ground and on a treadmill. Besides, the authors assessed the impact of the surface on the mobility of three main joints of lower extremities in the sagittal plane.

The impact of changes in gait speed and step frequency on the extent of the center of mass displacements.

Center of mass (COM) trajectory plays a crucial role in the analysis of human body movements. This research aimed at studying vertical and transverse COM displacements during gait on a treadmill at a given velocity and step frequency. Locomotion study was accomplished using: Vicon 250, Cardionics Treadmill 3113 and metronome Korg Ma-30.