CORRELATION BETWEEN FOOTWEAR SUITABILITY, FEAR OF FALLING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE THIRD TRIMESTER

Purpose: Pregnancy is a time in which the biomechanics of the body changes due to intense physiological and physical changes, especially in the third trimester, when an increase in falls and a decrease in physical activity may occur. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the suitability of footwear used by pregnant women, fear of falling, and physical activity in third trimester of pregnancy. Methods: One hundred twenty-three pregnant women aged between 18-40 years with a gestational age of 28 weeks and above were included the study. The Footwear Assessment Score was used to assess the suitability of the footwear. The fear of falling of the participants was measured using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International, and the physical activity level was measured using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: A low negative correlation (r=-0.215;p<0.05) was found between physical activity and fear of falling, and a low positive correlation (r=0.256;p<0.01) was found between footwear suitability and physical activity in pregnant women. There was no statistically significant relationship (r= -0.120;p=0.185) between footwear suitability and fear of falling. Conclusion: According to the findings of the current study, it can be concluded that physical activity and a more appropriate choice of shoes based on the level of physical activity may reduce the fear of falling during pregnancy. Future studies are needed to investigate footwear suitability during pregnancy in more detail.