The Timed Up & Go test in pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain compared to asymptomatic pregnant and non-pregnant women

Background: The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, a standardized functional mobility test, has been proposed as a physical performance-based measure in pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain (PGP). Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate physical function by the use of TUG in pregnant women with PGP compared to asymptomatic pregnant and non-pregnant women, and to identify factors associated with increased TUG. Methods: In total, 25 pregnant women with PGP, 24 asymptomatic pregnant and 25 asymptomatic non-pregnant women participated. One-way analysis of variance was used to explore difference in TUG between the groups and multiple linear regression analyses to explore associations between TUG and potential explanatory variables. Results: The time on TUG varied among pregnant women with PGP, and was significantly higher (mean (95% CI) 6.9 (6.5, 7.3) seconds) than for asymptomatic pregnant (5.8 (5.5, 6.0), p < 0.001) and non-pregnant (5.5 (5.4, 5.6), p < 0.001) women. In the total study sample, group, increased BMI and sick leave were significantly associated with increased TUG (p-values≤0.02). In pregnant women with PGP, pain intensity was the only significant clinical factor associated with increased TUG (p = 0.002). Conclusion: Pregnant women with PGP used longer time and showed larger variation in TUG than asymptomatic pregnant and non-pregnant women, this underpins that TUG targets activities relevant to PGP. Our results provide new knowledge about factors influencing TUG time. Importantly, multivariable analyses suggest that pain intensity should be considered when interpreting TUG time in pregnant women with PGP.