• Fagevik Olsén Monika M Department of Health and Rehabilitation/Physiotherapy, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, S-4, Paulina Körnung, Sophie Kallin, Helen Elden, Kjellby Wendt Gunilla G Department of Health and Rehabilitation/Physiotherapy, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, S-, and Annelie Gutke.
• Department of Health and Rehabilitation/Physiotherapy, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, S-405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden. monika.fagevik-olsen@vgregion.se.
• Bmc Musculoskel Dis. 2021 Mar 1; 22 (1): 237.

BackgroundMany women develop pelvic girdle pain (PGP) during pregnancy and about 10% have chronic pain several years after delivery. Self-administered pain provocation tests are one way to diagnose and evaluate this pain. Their validity in post-partum women is not yet studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of self-administered test for assessment of chronic pregnancy-related PGP several years after delivery.MethodsWomen who previously have had PGP during pregnancy and who participated in one of three RCT studies were invited to a postal follow up of symptoms including performance of self-administered tests after two, 6 or 11 years later, respectively. In total, 289 women returned the questionnaire and the test-results. Of these, a sub-group of 44 women with current PGP underwent an in-person clinical examination. Comparisons were made between test results in women with versus without PGP but also, in the sub-group, between the self-administered tests and those performed during the clinical examination.ResultsFifty-one women reported PGP affecting daily life during the last 4 weeks, and 181 reported pain when performing at least one of the tests at home. Those with chronic PGP reported more positive tests (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between diagnosis from the self-administered tests compared to tests performed during the in-person clinical examination (p = 0.305), either for anterior or posterior PGP. There were no significant differences of the results between the tests performed self-administered vs. during the clinical examination.ConclusionA battery of self-administered tests combined with for example additional specific questions or a pain-drawing can be used as a screening tool to diagnose chronic PGP years after delivery. However, the modified SLR test has limitations which makes its use questionable.

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