Development Of A Questionnaire, To Assess The Awareness Of Pregnancy Induced Postural Changes And Musculoskeletal Issues Among Women; Validation And Reliability Check

BACKGROUND: Posture refers to the body’s alignment in both static and dynamic positions, maintained by coordinated muscle actions. Any misalignment can lead to nerve compression, stress on ligaments and joints, and musculoskeletal discomfort. Pregnancy brings significant biological changes, including shifts in body mass, alterations in the centre of gravity, and muscle stretching or weakening. While some studies have explored pregnant women’s perception of physiotherapy and postural changes, no comprehensive research or assessment tool exists to evaluate their knowledge. This study aims to develop a reliable questionnaire to assess women’s awareness of postural changes and related musculoskeletal issues during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to develop a self-report questionnaire to assess women’s awareness of pregnancy-related postural changes and musculoskeletal issues. Since no existing tool measures subjective postural awareness, the research will create and validate a new scale, ensuring its reliability and psychometric accuracy. The goal is to establish a useful clinical and research tool that enables timely interventions, preventing postural defects and reducing musculoskeletal pain.

METHODOLOGY: This study will conduct a literature review on postural changes and musculoskeletal issues during pregnancy, including evaluation tools and existing questionnaires. A close-ended questionnaire with figures will be developed and validated in multiple phases. An expert panel, consisting of professionals from various fields, will review the initial version for validity. After incorporating their feedback, a revised version will undergo qualitative pre-testing with 15 participants. The final questionnaire will be tested for reliability using a test-retest method with 30 participants over a one-week gap, ensuring internal consistency. Participants will be selected based on specific criteria, with informed consent obtained before participation.

RESULT: A new self-report questionnaire will be created to assess women’s awareness of pregnancy-related postural changes and musculoskeletal issues. The questionnaire will undergo validation and reliability testing, with results analysed and discussed later.

KEYWORDS: Pregnancy awareness, Postural changes, Musculoskeletal issues, Self-report questionnaire, Validation and reliability, Psychometric properties, Qualitative analysis, Expert panel review, Test-retest method, Internal consistency, Postural habits evaluation, Pretesting and finalization

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