Comparison of Two Abdominal Exercise Programs on the Interrect Distance

Comparison of Two Abdominal Exercise Programs on the Interrect Distance in Postpartum Woman

The objective of the research is to compare two programs of exercises in postpartum woman, one based in abdominal strengthening exercises and the other based in abdominal hypopresive exercise.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Postpartum Period
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Classic abdominal strengthening exercises; Other: Hypopressive abdominal exercises program

Detailed Description

Diastasis recti abdominisis the separation of the two rectus abdominis muscles along the linea alba with a consequent separation of fibres and widening of the same. The linea alba has different functions which include supporting the proximal anterior recti, guaranteeing the stability of the vertebral column, pelvis and the pelvic floor, and intervening in the function of the abdominal muscles since it serves as their anterior anchorage.

The crunch abdominal exercise (classic abdominal) is the most studied exercise used to test the behaviour of the linea alba, and in most cases, a decrease in the inter-rectus distance is observed when compared to the resting stage. In the oder hand, Abdominal hypopresives exercises were designed for women in the postpartum period but the effects over the abdominal muscles is unknown and the authors are unaware of any study that evaluates the effect of a hypopressive exercise program on the interrectus distance.

The objective of the research is to compare two programs of exercises in postpartum woman, one based in abdominal strengthening exercises and the other based in abdominal hypopresive exercise.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 23
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Pontevedra, Spain, 36005
    • Iria Da Cuña Carrera

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 25 years to 40 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women having given birth 8 weeks before starting the study treatment
• Women agree to participate in the study
• Women with vaginal delivery.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women with abdominal hernia
• Pregnancy woman
• Previus Abdominal Surgery

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Classic abdominal exercises Group; This group will carry out an abdominal strengthening exercise program based on the classic abdominal exercises.	Other: Classic abdominal strengthening exercises; Classic abdominal strengthening exercises (Curl-up, sit-ups and leg-rise), balance exercises, general mobility and upper limb strengthening exercises.
Experimental: Abdominal hypopresives exercise Group; This group will carry out an abdominal strengthening exercise program based on the abdominal hypopressives exercises.	Other: Hypopressive abdominal exercises program; Hypopressive abdominal exercises, balance exercises, general mobility and upper limb strengthening exercises

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Interrectus distance measure	he participants will be placed in supine decubitus with the knees flexed to 90º with the feet resting on the stretcher and the arms along the body. After receiving the instructions to perform an abdominal crunch, subjects are asked to lift their heads and lift shoulders until the scapula lifts off the table. The ultrasound images will be recorded with an ultrasound scanner (GE Logic and; 4 12MHz, 39mm linear transducer; mode B), in a position of supine rest and a position of muscle activation (isometric contraction), 2 cm and 5 cm above the navel. Centimeters are the unit of measurement.	Baseline, preintervention
Interrectus distance measure	he participants will be placed in supine decubitus with the knees flexed to 90º with the feet resting on the stretcher and the arms along the body. After receiving the instructions to perform an abdominal crunch, subjects are asked to lift their heads and lift shoulders until the scapula lifts off the table. The ultrasound images will be recorded with an ultrasound scanner (GE Logic and; 4 12MHz, 39mm linear transducer; mode B), in a position of supine rest and a position of muscle activation (isometric contraction), 2 cm and 5 cm above the navel. Centimeters are the unit of this measurement.	After the intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Maternal age	Age when the woman gave birth. This variable will be managed by the midwives through their clinical history. Years are the unit of this measurement.	Preintervention
Fetal weight	Weight baby This variable will be managed by the midwives through their clinical history. Kilogrames are the unit of this measurement.	Preintervenrion
Number of deliveries	Total of number of deliveries. This variable will be managed by the midwives through their clinical history. Absolut number are the unit of this measurement.	Preintervention
Weight gain during pregnancy	Weight gain during pregnancy. This variable will be managed by the midwives through their clinical history. Kilogrames are the unit of this measurement.	Preintervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Vigo
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Iria Da Cuña-carrera, PHD, Universitu of Vigo

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Da Cuna-Carrera I, Alonso-Calvete A, Soto-Gonzalez M, Lantaron-Caeiro EM. How Do the Abdominal Muscles Change during Hypopressive Exercise? Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Jul 9;57(7):702. doi: 10.3390/medicina57070702.
• Lee D, Hodges PW. Behavior of the Linea Alba During a Curl-up Task in Diastasis Rectus Abdominis: An Observational Study. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2016 Jul;46(7):580-9. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2016.6536.
• Carrera Perez C, Da Cuna Carrera I, Gonzalez Gonzalez Y. [What is the best exercise for rehabilitation of abdominal diastasis rehabilitation?]. Rehabilitacion (Madr). 2019 Jul-Sep;53(3):198-210. doi: 10.1016/j.rh.2018.12.004. Epub 2019 Apr 11. Spanish.
• Da Cuna-Carrera I, Alonso-Calvete A, Lantaron-Caeiro EM, Soto-Gonzalez M. Are There Any Differences in Abdominal Activation between Women and Men during Hypopressive Exercises? Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jun 29;18(13):6984. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18136984.
• Mota P, Pascoal AG, Carita AI, Bo K. The Immediate Effects on Inter-rectus Distance of Abdominal Crunch and Drawing-in Exercises During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2015 Oct;45(10):781-8. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2015.5459. Epub 2015 Aug 24.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 10, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): December 3, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 17, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 26, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): June 30, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 14, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 11, 2023
• Last Verified: August 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Abdominal muscle; Interrectus distance; Abdominal hypopressive exercise; Abdominal crunch exercise
• Other Study ID Numbers: 17062022

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

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

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No