Abstract
Objective: To examine the effectiveness of physical therapy intervention for treating diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) in the postpartum population, with emphasis on transverse abdominis (TRA) exercise and kinesiotaping.
Study Design: Pilot randomized controlled trial.
Background: DRA may be linked to lumbopelvic and gynecological health problems, and there is limited evidence describing effective noninvasive treatments of DRA in postpartum women.
Methods and Measures: Thirty women, 6 to 12 weeks postpartum with a palpable separation of the rectus abdominis muscles (32.03 +/- 4.33 years old; number of births = 2.30 +/- 1.34), were randomly assigned to TRA exercise intervention (n = 10), kinesiotaping intervention (n = 8), TRA exercise and kinesiotaping combination intervention (n = 5), or control (n = 7). The primary outcome was inter-recti distance (IRD), measured via ultrasound imaging. Secondary outcomes of low back pain and pelvic floor dysfunction were measured via validated questionnaires (Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory [PFDI-20] and Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire). Data are presented as means +/- standard deviation.
Results: The largest changes in IRD were observed for the TRA exercise-only and TRA exercise + taping groups. There was no statistical difference in IRD change between the TRA exercise-only and TRA exercise + taping groups. Both groups with TRA exercise components were statistically different from the taping-only group and the control group in IRD change.
Conclusions: Based on our preliminary data, exercise targeting the TRA may be an effective treatment method for reducing IRD. Further studies that include a larger patient population, particularly those with low back pain and pelvic floor dysfunction, are needed to replicate these findings and to establish a standardized exercise protocol for DRA.