This randomised controlled trial compared land-based pregnancy exercise to midwife-led aquanatal exercise in 390 pregnant women. The aim was to establish which type of exercise was better at reducing the rates of sick leave, pregnancy-related lower back pain and pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain. The team reported that significantly fewer women in the aquanatal group reported pregnancy-related lower back pain, compared to women exercising on land. The study also found a highly significant difference between the study groups in the number of women taking sick leave because of lower back pain. There was no difference in the rates of pelvic girdle pain between the two groups. The authors conclude that “water aerobics [aquanatal] should be offered to pregnant women, especially those with pregnancy-related lower back pain.”
[A. Granath, M. Hellgren & R. Gunnarson: Water Aerobics Reduces Sick Leave due to Low Back Pain During Pregnancy in: Journal of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatal Nursing (2006) vol. 35, pp.465-471.]