Why Pregnant Women Wobble But They Don't Fall Down
Ever wonder why women don't topple forward onto their face when they're 8 months pregnant?
Me neither, but I'm glad that I now know the answer. Marvels of evolutionary engineering that we are, slight differences from men in women's lower backs and hip joints allow us to adjust the center of gravity during the course of pregnancy. It's a good thing too, says researcher Liza Shapiro:
That's a big load that's pulling you forward. You experience discomfort. Maybe it would be a lot worse if (the design changes) were not there.
The differences -- a lower lumbar vertebra is wedged-shaped in women and more square in
men and a key hip joint is 14 percent larger -- also mean less back pain for pregnant women.
What about guys with bellies the size of a baby or bigger? What keeps them upright? For one, guys usually take years to grow those quarter kegs, rather than months, meaning they have more time to adjust. Shapiro also guessed they use their back muscles to compensate, but that probably means more back pain.
So should you be married to a guy with a gut, the next time he asks you to grab him a beer from the fridge, have a little sympathy. Bipedalism is tough going for him and his ilk.
Study finds evolutionary change help pregnant women keep balance [Boston Globe]
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