The Effect of Conservative Interventions on the Signs and Symptoms of Diastasis Recti

The Effect of Exercise Therapy and/or Abdominal Binding on Inter-rectus Distance, Abdominal Muscle Strength, Lumbopelvic and Urogynecological Complaints, Perceived Function, and Body Image in Post-partum Women With Diastasis Recti

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of two different physiotherapeutic interventions (exercise therapy and/or abdominal binding) on the signs and symptoms of diastasis recti in post-partum women.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Diastasis Recti And Weakness Of The Linea Alba
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Exercise therapy; Other: Abdominal binding

Detailed Description

This study is investigating the effect of exercise therapy and/or abdominal binding on inter-rectus distance, abdominal muscle strength and endurance, lumbopelvic dysfunction, urogynecological complaints, perceived function, and body image in post-partum women with diastasis recti

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 32
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Ontario
    • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
      • Rehabilitation Sciences Institute

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 to 35 years old
• given birth to their first child, vaginally, in the last three to four weeks
• inter-rectus distance of two finger widths of greater on palpation during head lift

Exclusion Criteria:

• history of persistent pain with intercourse prior to pregnancy
• diagnosed with neurological impairments affecting the central nervous system or sacral nerves
• diagnosed with connective tissue disorders

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Supervised exercise therapy; Participants will receive 12 sessions with a physiotherapist where they will receive instructions on body mechanics, and be given a progressive abdominal exercise program	Other: Exercise therapy; Supervised exercise therapy with a 12 week progressive abdominal exercise home program for
Experimental: Abdominal binding; Participants will be fitted for an abdominal binder and asked to wear it for a period of 12 weeks.	Other: Abdominal binding; Wearing an abdominal binder for 12 weeks
Experimental: Exercise therapy and Abdominal Binding; Participants will attend 12 sessions with a physiotherapist, and receive an abdominal binder	Other: Exercise therapy; Supervised exercise therapy with a 12 week progressive abdominal exercise home program for; Other: Abdominal binding; Wearing an abdominal binder for 12 weeks
No Intervention: Control; Participants will not receive an intervention during the study period

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Inter-Rectus Distance	Measured using ultrasound imaging	baseline, 12 weeks post intervention, 9 months post intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Abdominal Strength and Endurance	measured using clinical tests and hand-held dynamometry	baseline, 12 weeks post intervention, 9 months post intervention
Change in Body image	measured using the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire	baseline, 12 weeks post intervention, 9 months post intervention
Change in Lumbopelvic dysfunction	measured using Modified Oswestry Questionnaire	baseline, 12 weeks post intervention, 9 months post intervention
Change in Urogynecological Complaints	measured using the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory	baseline, 12 weeks post intervention, 9 months post intervention
Change in Severity of Lumbopelvic and/or Abdominal Pain	Visual Analog Scale	baseline, 12 weeks post intervention, 9 months post intervention
Change in Perceived Function	Inventory of Functional Status After Childbirth Questionnaire	baseline, 12 weeks post intervention, 9 months post intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Queen's University
• Collaborators: University of Toronto
• Investigators: Study Director: McLean Linda, PhD, Queen's University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: August 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 1, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): May 1, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 10, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 15, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): October 20, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 25, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 24, 2018
• Last Verified: September 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: physiotherapy; exercise therapy; diastasis recti; abdominal binding
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries; Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Joint Dislocations; Diastasis, Muscle
• Other Study ID Numbers: REH-566-13

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO