THE EFFECT OF PREGNANCY EXERCISE ON REDUCING BACK PAIN IN PREGNANT WOMEN

Abstract

Pregnancy causes physiological changes that increase the risk of back pain due to postural changes, weight gain, and a shift in the body’s center of gravity. Back pain among pregnant women is common and may affect quality of life and daily activities. Pregnancy exercise is considered a non-pharmacological intervention to reduce back pain during pregnancy. Methods: This study employed a quantitative pre-experimental design using a one-group pretest–posttest approach. A total of 35 pregnant women were selected using purposive sampling at the Ziandta Maternity Clinic, Ogan Komering Ulu Regency, in 2025. Data were collected using a back pain intensity questionnaire before and after pregnancy exercise intervention and analyzed using the Wilcoxon test with a significance level of α = 0.05. Results: The mean back pain score before the intervention was 8.06 (SD 1.35) and decreased to 2.71 (SD 1.02) after pregnancy exercise. Statistical analysis showed a p-value of 0.001 (<0.05), indicating a significant effect of pregnancy exercise on reducing back pain in pregnant women. Conclusion: Pregnancy exercise is effective in reducing back pain among pregnant women and can be recommended as a non-pharmacological intervention in antenatal care services.