Capturing body segment changes during pregnancy to develop an accurate biomechanical model.

Project Summary Kinetic assessment (i.e. the forces and torques acting about a joint) of an individual performing a task requires the unique physical attributes of that individual as input parameters. These attributes are called body segment parameters (BSP) and include mass, center of mass location and moment of inertia. Individuals in the workforce who become pregnant often chose to continue to work for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, there are no known ergonomic standards and protocols for this unique population that are based on kinetic assessments, as there are for the general population. Furthermore, there are no known longitudinal anthropometric measures of the changes in the trunk and other body regions during pregnancy, other than that related to whole-body measures, such as body mass index (BMI) and body fat- related measures. The goal of this proposal is capture accurate longitudinal BSP estimates and anthropometric measures along the stages of pregnancy, from which models specific to this unique population can be developed. Specific aims: 1) An accurate set of BSP estimates is needed to better understand the physical nature of how the different segments within an individual change during pregnancy. 2) Establish a geometric and two regression-based models (of different complexities and associated accuracy) that are specific to the pregnant population and to the stage of pregnancy. These models will be readily available to the public and can be implemented into biomechanical motion analysis software for all to use. 3) Changes in anthropometric measures of a pregnant body (e.g. trunk dimensions) are necessary to develop attire and equipment, and protocols relative to the stage of pregnancy. It is hypothesized that these aims will open an avenue along which empirical-based biomechanical assessments of pregnant individuals performing different tasks will begin to catch up to that of the general population. The long-term plan is to further develop the models, specific to different pregnant morphologies. More importantly, the true nature of how pregnant individuals perform various daily living and work-related tasks can be properly examined and will ultimately lead to standards, protocols, equipment design and the like that are based on sound empirical data.