AUTHOR=Chen Jinchen , Yu Hongli , Damps Dagmara , Szumilewicz Anna 
  
TITLE=Exercise Interventions and Pregnancy-Related Back Pain: Evidence and Gaps From a Systematic Review
  
JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health
  
VOLUME=Volume 71 - 2026
  
YEAR=2026
  
URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2026.1608730
  
DOI=10.3389/ijph.2026.1608730
  
ISSN=1661-8564
  
ABSTRACT=ObjectivesTo review and synthesize existing evidence on exercise interventions of varying intensity for pregnancy-related back pain and to identify directions for future research.MethodsA systematic review of nine studies involving 1,438 participants was conducted. Interventions focused predominantly on low-to moderate-intensity exercise, and no study employed high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Exercise types included aerobic and resistance training as well as aquatic and stability exercises.ResultsMost studies demonstrated significant reductions in back pain, but methodological heterogeneity and limited sample sizes prevented meta-analytical synthesis. Randomized controlled trials showed moderate risk of bias due to challenges in blinding and randomization, while non-randomized trials had substantial limitations, including inadequate measurement validation and increased risk of bias.ConclusionExisting evidence supports the potential benefits of low-to moderate-intensity exercise for pregnancy-related back pain but remains methodologically weak. High-quality studies are needed to evaluate HIIT and other innovative strategies for managing pain and improving maternal health and wellbeing.Trial Registrationidentifier CRD42024578089.