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CTV are reporting: Why pregnant women don't topple: study
Quote:
With all that growing weight up front, how is it that pregnant women don't lose their balance and topple over? Scientists think they've found the answer: There's are slight differences between women and men in one lower back vertebrae and a joint in the hip, which allow women to adjust their center of gravity.
This elegant evolutionary engineering is seen only in female humans and our immediate ancestors who walked on two feet, but not in chimps and apes, according to a study published in Thursday's journal Nature.
"That's a big load that's pulling you forward," said Liza Shapiro, an anthropology professor at the University of Texas and the only one of the study's three authors who has actually been pregnant. "You experience discomfort. Maybe it would be a lot worse if (the design changes) were not there."
Harvard anthropology researcher Katherine Whitcomb found two physical differences in male and female backs that until now had gone unnoticed: One lower lumbar vertebrae is wedged-shaped in women and more square in men; and a key hip joint is 14 percent larger in women than men when body size is taken into account.
The researchers did engineering tests that show how those slight changes allow women to carry the additional and growing load without toppling over -- and typically without disabling back pain.
"When you think about it, women make it look so very damn easy," Whitcomb said. "They are experiencing a pretty impressive challenge. Evolution has tinkered ... to the point where they can deal with the challenge.
"It's absolutely beautiful," she said. "A little bit of tinkering can have a profound effect."
Walking on two feet separates humans from most other animals. And while anthropologists still debate the evolutionary benefit of walking on two feet, there are notable costs, such as pain for pregnant females. Animals on all fours can better handle the extra belly weight.
The back changes appear to have evolved to overcome the cost of walking on two feet, said Harvard anthropology professor Daniel Lieberman.
When the researchers looked back at fossil records of human ancestors, including the oldest spines that go back 2 million years to our predecessor, Australopithecus, they found a male without the lower-back changes and a female with them.
But what about men with stomachs the size of babies or bigger? What keeps them from toppling over?
Their back muscles are used to compensate, but that probably means more back pain, theorized Shapiro, who added: "It would be a fun study to do to look at men with beer bellies to see if they shift their loads."
Another ridiculous "science" story: Why don't pregnant topple over? Because their ankle joint range of motion allows the individual to regulate their center of mass over the base of support that their plantar feet offer......why is this so hard to understand......is this a scientific breakthrough????
__________________
Sincerely,
Kevin
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Kevin A. Kirby, DPM
Adjunct Associate Professor
Department of Applied Biomechanics
California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt College
There is likely increased ligamentous compliance during the last trimester of pregnancy due to the hormone, relaxin. However, this really has nothing to do with the ability of a bipedal human to hold their center of mass over their feet to maintain balance during weightbearing activities. The human body has a remarkable mechanism known as "balance" that allows us to prevent falls by keeping our center of mass over our feet during standing and to allow us to balance our center of mass elegantly over our feet during a variety of weightbearing activities. To pin this mechanism down to a vertebral matter, is just missing the big picture of how the body works, in my opinion.
__________________
Sincerely,
Kevin
**************************************************
Kevin A. Kirby, DPM
Adjunct Associate Professor
Department of Applied Biomechanics
California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt College
To the best of my knowledge the term 'miscarry" has no actual anatomical/ gynacological meaning and was first used to describe pregnant women who fell over their ankles when wearing chopans (platform shoes in the 17th century). So many woman lost babies from falling, the platform shoes were banned by law in several Italian City States because of its association with miscarriage.'
Ironically shoemakers were encouraged to keep the power dressing aspect in women's costume and bored out the ball of the platform creating the first 'stable' shoe, with heels. Catherine di Medici wore the first heeled mules and the fashio caught on. After her death heeled shoes for fashionable women became passe.
When in the UK i used to give talks on behalf of the NHS and my Private Practice.
I used to give basically the same talk except for one important point.
NHS:
The wearing of suitable footwear is an essential part of your t/t plan and failure to comply would lead to discharge.:(
Private Practice:
The wearing of fashion high heeled shoes is not encouraged however we would be very pleased to see you on a regular basis in order to keep you comfy. Have you tried 6" heels they really are loverly and show off your legs beautifully. Yes we can see you every 3-4 weeks in fact we would be delighted.
Is the contrast ethical???
In NHS we had waiting lists get em in and get em out is the philosophy.
In P/P you want them right up until the funeral.
So mortgage payment is an important part of any t/t plan.
Kevin is, of course, right. Although the vertebrae may have evolved differently in females, do men fall over when they carry a 112lb/50 kilo sack of cement? No; and it has nothing to do with vertebrae and everything to do with ankle joint/subtalar motion. In our world it is described as compensation Ms Shapiro. Perhaps when you are next pregnant you might note that you will lean backwards!
Bill Liggins
When in England, if you hear the sound of hoofbeats, think horse, not zebra
He is about to go on leave due to the impending arrival of Baby Bird.
__________________ Craig Payne
__________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Follow me on Twitter | Run Junkie God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things - right now I am so far behind, I will never die.
The really big question is 'HOW DOES A WOMAN FALL PREGNANT" and why would she. As a bloke it really hurt when you fall over. So watch out girls because if you fall over you will get pregnant.
When I read this discussion, I felt compelled to post. The idea of women not toppling over when pregnant seems ridiculous. As many pointed out, many overweight men do not topple over either.
Why don't pregnant women fall over?
The really big question is 'HOW DOES A WOMAN FALL PREGNANT"
and why would she. As a bloke it really hurt when you fall over.
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