The effect of pregnancy on footprint parameters. A prospective investigation.

Pregnancy produces significant alterations in the posture of the pregnant woman; however, gait changes that occur during pregnancy have not been adequately evaluated in the literature. This prospective investigation of the footprints of 25 pregnant women from early pregnancy to just prior to parturition revealed a significant increase in the base of gait during walking. This change in gait function may be a compensatory mechanism to improve locomotor stability, and may have important implications for foot function and development of lower-extremity pathology in pregnant women.